Unexpected Detours
by Scarlet Scully
Summary: It usually doesn't take 3 years to turn sexual tension into a relationship. Here's my take on why our couple is still fighting in ESB. HanLeia. Some smut and other mature subject matter. Finally complete!
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: Let's face it, it usually doesn't take three years to turn sexual tension into some kind of a relationship, rebellion or no rebellion. Here's my take on the real reason why our beloved couple was still fighting once ESB begins._

_A/N: There's a fair bit of smut in the beginning of this story, so consider yourself forewarned. I expect that to change in future chapters as the story progresses, so consider yourself warned of that as well:) Oh yeah, I almost forgot: I don't own anything. Everybody belongs to GL and many thanks to him for creating this galaxy for us to play in._

Unexpected Detours

_Okay, it's probably all my fault. I should've known better than to dare him to kiss me. Maybe dare isn't quite the right word. I fought my way into a kiss. Of course, all we ever do is fight, so if we were going to end up kissing, then I should've known that that kiss would begin with a fight._

"Ice princess! Just because I don't throw myself at every breathing, male, biped who happens to cross my path, you assume that I'm frigid. How typical."

"Assume? Typical? Listen, I know a cold woman when I see one and you're pretty much the coldest woman I've seen yet. I bet the last brave man who dared touch his lips to yours is still in bacta trying to heal the frostbite."

_I remember immediately responding with something witty like_ "humph". _Then, my brain caught up and I hurled back:_ "I'm certain that a little frostbite is better than the critters that your last conquest is still trying to get rid of. Or maybe your last conquest doesn't mind sharing her bed with all types of vermin. After all, she would have shared it with you."

_By then, we had abandoned our repairs to the confrontation: shoulders squared, feet braced wide, hands on hips, eyes blazing. At the time, I was sure it was anger that had caused the sparks. Looking back on that moment, I realize it was more._

"Listen here, princess. Just because I'm not frigid doesn't mean that I sleep around. Just because I happen to enjoy the company of the opposite sex doesn't mean that I'll sleep with any breathing, female biped. I certainly would draw the line at you."

"Oh, and what makes you think that it would be you drawing the line, flyboy? The nine hells would have to freeze over before this ice princess would even consider so much as a kiss from the likes of you."

"Well, if anyone could freeze the nine hells, princess, I'm sure you could."

_I remember standing there silently, searching my mind for another barb, refusing to back down, refusing to let him win. I remember getting distracted by the curve of his lips and watching them twist into the familiar lopsided grin, almost as if he had discerned the shift in my attention._

"Or maybe the reason you wouldn't consider a kiss from me is because you know that it would melt you, and the ice princess would be gone."

_The edge of his voice had disappeared, the tone had dropped an octave or two. I remember feeling as if I had actually been caressed. I was so distracted that I hadn't realized that our fighting postures had relaxed until his hand cupped my chin and his thumb stroked my lower lip. His soft touch sent shivers along my spine and I might have been completely lost to his touch if I hadn't looked away from his lips and into his eyes. There, I didn't find tenderness or desire or even lust. No, the only emotion reflected in his hazel depths was arrogance._

_I had summoned my inward control to tamp down the desire that had surged unexpectedly through my veins. I forced as much steel in my voice as I could muster._ "You wouldn't dare."

_He had ignored my steel, keeping his voice soft as velvet._ "You should know that I'm a gambling man."

"You're right. You do like your games. I suppose you would dare, but it wouldn't do a thing. If I were made of ice, it would take more man than you to make me melt."

_I remember seeing the anger flash again in his eyes, just seconds before he tipped his head forward, sealing our lips in a forceful kiss. His hand had slipped from my chin as our lips met, tangling in my hair, crushing me to him. We had parted before the kiss deepened and I fought to keep my emotions from showing on my face. I think he had mumbled something about frostbite and was about to turn away when I had grabbed his face with both hands, pulling him into our second kiss with as much force as he had begun the first. I held him fast, deepening the kiss, touching my tongue to his, feeling the heat of his body through his thin white shirt as he wrapped his arms around me, pressing our bodies together._

_I released the pressure of my hands then, only to move them to wrap around the warmth of his torso. Searching for more of his heat, I tugged at his shirttails, releasing them from the waist of his pants. Once beneath his shirt, my hands stretched upward, gliding slowly from his narrow hips, along his ribs, around his back. His muscled hardness was exactly as I had imagined and the silky smooth texture of his skin did things to my body that I'd rather not admit. His hands slid to cup my buttocks, pressing our bodies together intimately. The faint groan that I heard had to be coming from him, although I remember feeling the sound at the back of my throat._

_He broke the kiss a second time._ "I think you might be starting to get a little warm, princess."

_The husky tone of his voice alone was enough to inflame my desire, but I refused to let him know it._ "It takes more than just a kiss to make me melt, Captain."

_He nuzzled against my neck, nipping at my earlobe._ "Don't worry, I plan on doing a whole lot more than kissing." _His lips brushed against my cheek as he whispered his intentions._

"You wouldn't…"

"I would," _he countered before sealing my lips in another searing kiss. My senses were assaulted as he ground his pelvis against mine. The throbbing at the juncture of my thighs had grown more and more persistent until the next thing I knew, my legs were wrapped firmly around his waist, our naked chests pressed together and he was carrying me to his quarters._

_In seconds, it seemed, the remainder of our clothes were strewn about the cabin and I was laying on the bed, admiring the pose he struck as he stood at the foot. The desire that coursed through me had prevented any shyness, driving me to rise to my knees before him. Wrapping one hand around his manhood, I had used the other to pull his head down for another kiss. His lips had left mine, tracing a path down my neck and, cupping my breast for access, he captured a nipple firmly between his teeth, causing me to cry out in pleasure. His other hand had urged my hand away from his throbbing shaft. Releasing my breast, he pushed me down on the bed. His fingers had danced through my folds, finding my center hot and wet and ready to receive him._

"Gods, Leia. You're gonna kill me."

_Lost in the desire he had stroked to a near peak, I reached for him, pulling him forward, begging him to enter me. His tip pushed until it barely rested inside me and my hands grabbed his tight buttocks, urging him further still. Finally, he drove forward and I had cried with the pleasure of it, whimpering as he pulled out slowly, only to cry out as he slammed inside me again. The pace he set had brought me tantalizingly close to the edge again and again, until I begged for the release he denied me._

"Please, Han, please."

_His pace quickened then, his own groans mixing with my cries until finally I felt the explosion rip through my center and race through my body right to my toes. My climax had rippled through me and I had been lost to it. My body calmed slightly yet still sung from the after effects. His thrusting had become less controlled, more urgent and the after-effects seemed to become before-effects as his body slammed into mine. I had tried to pull him in deeper, wrapping my legs around his waist, gripping his shoulders with my nails, desperate for the release again. Almost as if sensing my desperation, his hand had dipped between us, teasing deftly as I spiralled upward once again. I had almost missed his orgasm, so lost was I in my own. But, I hadn't. I felt those last urgent thrusts and then his hot seed had spilled inside me. The pure satisfaction I had felt was echoed in the expression on his face. Then he had collapsed on me, his weight too much for his arms to support any longer. His head rested next to mine, his breathing ragged in my ear._

_'Oh gods, what have I done?' I remember lying there, surrounded by the musky smell of sex, Han's weight crushing me into the mattress, his breathing still ragged in my ear, as the realization entered my consciousness. 'I just had sex with Han Solo, the man I despise, the man who despises me, the man who just made me feel better than I have ever felt in my whole life.'_

_'But, that doesn't matter,' I had continued my internal debate. 'I don't just have sex with someone because it feels good, just because, even now, I feel better than I have in ages. I don't have sex… I make love or I would make love if I was with the right man.'_

_Han must have started to notice my growing discomfort and shifted his position, rolling so he rested on his side, his right hand propping his head up so he could look down on me while his left arm remained draped across my waist. He had traced patterns below my ribcage as I studiously ignored his face, tracing instead the steps that had led me to his bedside._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks for all of those readers who have taken the time to review and sorry for the delay in getting this second chapter up. I hope to be more efficient in my posts from now on. This chapter should lend a little clarity to the first chapter and how I managed to get my fabulous duo alone. Please read and review. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: "I'm not making any money off of this." On with the show._

**Unexpected Detours, part 2**

"What's the matter, princess?"

_I still remember the moment that the mood had changed. The moment when I had sensed her growing discomfort. The moment when, much to my dismay, I knew that she was already beginning to regret our fun. And I knew that I didn't want to become another 'regret' in her life._

_I don't really remember how we had jumped from the all-out shouting match into the all-out naked match. If I could barely recall making the decisions, how could I second-guess them now? But she wasn't like that. She was too good to do things like we had done. I had known what she was going to say before the words had even left her slightly swollen lips._

"We shouldn't have done that."

"And why not? I seem to recall you enjoying it."

"That's not the point, Han. It doesn't matter if I enjoyed it… and for the record, I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it… it's still not right."

"Why not?" _I knew I was frustrating her by questioning her logic, but her logic had been questionable._ "We're two consenting adults who needed to blow off a little steam. And, we enjoyed ourselves in the process. What's not right about that?"

"Han, people don't just have sex to…"

"People just have sex all the time, sweetheart, " _I had interrupted her moral lesson before it had begun. _"And, there's no reason to regret it now. What's done is done. Why can't you just relax like anyone else would, even for just a few minutes."

"But…"

"But, what? You're not like other people? I hate to break it to you, but when you're lying here without your finery, you're just like any other girl who's been here before."

"What!"

_Her high-pitched screech had nearly split my eardrum and I had winced in response. She had jumped from the bed, standing royally indignant at its side. Her high emotions had raised her colour and her body had flushed beautifully in response to the anger racing through her._

"I'm just like any of the other girls who've been here before! Exactly, how many girls have been here before, captain?"

_Raising myself upright, I had softened my voice in contrast with hers._ "Leia, that's not what I meant."

"How many?"

"Not many."

_I remember moving to the foot of the bed to stand before her. I had felt a smirk threatening and fought to smother it, knowing how it would anger her even further. The combination of her indignant posture and her flushed, naked body had nearly broke through my defences though. I remember thinking that she probably didn't even realize that she was standing there arguing with me in the nude._

"How…"

_I had stepped closer then and reached out to stroke the side of her face, causing her to falter._

"Not many, Leia, and none like you."

_I remember speaking those words and I don't think I had ever spoken truer words than that in my life. 'None like you.' I never would have imagined, never would have dreamed of making love to a woman like Leia before then. I remember that moment, remember promising myself that I hadn't just experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event. I remember thinking these strange thoughts while continuing to caress her cheekbone distractedly with my thumb. Then something had changed in the energy between us. The sparks that usually crackled between us had vanished, replaced by an energy of a different sort. It propelled me closer to her and I had wrapped her in my arms and held her near to my heart for many heartbeats._

Han stowed the hydro spanner in his small, but effective toolbox, closing the access panel over the area he had just repaired. He hesitated outside the door to his cabin, debating silently the merits of waking its sleeping occupant. She had fallen asleep after their second round of love-making and it had taken every last bit of his willpower to chase him from her side and back to the repairs they had abandoned earlier. He finally decided to wake her, knowing she'd not want to still be sleeping when Luke and Chewbacca returned with the supplies.

He quietly entered the cabin, uncertain as to how he should wake her. Leia lay tangled in the sheets, affording him glimpses of her naked form. Her leg had escaped its covering and he fought the urge to retrace the path of kisses he had left there earlier. She was sleeping on her side, facing the doorway, and the sheet had slipped, offering him a generous display of cleavage. Her hair had long escaped its intricate braid and lay in dark ribbons against the white linens. The overall picture was more erotic than were he to have found her completely exposed. After savouring the view for a few moments, he reasoned that there was still time before the others would return. Quickly divesting himself of his work clothes, he slid next to her warmth.

She moaned sleepily at the disruption he had caused. Brushing a strand of hair from her face, he pressed a kiss against her temple. "Hey, sleepyhead, naptime's over." She had turned her head toward his kiss, but her eyes remained closed. Determined to rouse her to both wakefulness and desire, he kissed a pathway along her neck to her collarbone. He nipped at it and she shifted her position slightly, granting him further access to her body. He dipped his tongue into her cleavage before using his teeth to tug at the sheet secured between them. She arched her back in answer, freeing one of her breasts from the linen, exposing her nipple for him. He took the prize eagerly, freeing his hand from the tangles of her hair to cup her breast as he suckled greedily. He was rewarded with the sharp intake of her breath. Her hands, complacent until then, tangled in his hair, encouraging him to continue.

Satisfied that he had garnered her interest, he moved his attention onward, smiling against her ribs at her whimper. He brushed a path of kisses along her ribcage, nuzzling her waist before continuing along her hip. He had exposed fully half of her body by then, but chose to pursue his first thoughts upon entering the room. He continued down the side of her leg, pausing to nip at the back of her knee, before kissing his way up the inside of her thigh. Pausing at the juncture of her thighs, he watched her squirm before parting her curls and teasing her deftly with his tongue. Varying his rhythm and pressure, her erratic breathing and whimpering told him clearly how close she was to reaching her peak. Her desire was fuelling his own but he continued to deny them both the release that they sought.

He pulled himself away from his worship of her centre and thought she might scream in her frustration. Her cheeks were flushed and tiny beads of perspiration had gathered along her forehead. Her nipples stood erect, demanding his attention and he gladly answered their demands, capturing first one, then the other in his mouth. The head of his aching shaft was poised at her entrance, teasing them both mercilessly. She raised her hips in an effort to draw him in and finally, he gave in to the waves of desire that had been building in both of them. Once buried deep inside her, he stilled, feeling the building orgasm in her tight walls. Her hands had been pulling at the bed linens, desperate to find purchase in the storm of her climax. He replaced the linens with his own hands, pulling her arms above her head, intertwining their fingers as he slowly withdrew. Her hips raised to meet his as he moved forward and his mouth found hers in a deep kiss. He fought against the urge to immediately quicken the pace, surprised at how near he was to losing himself in her desire. She refused to yield to his leisurely pace and pulled a hand free. Raking her nails down his back, she bucked her hips against his, increasing their tempo, driving them both over the edge.

Leia sat quietly at the hologram board that doubled as a dining table, wordlessly eating the late lunch that Han had prepared for the group. Luke and Chewie were taking turns regaling them with the tale of their trip to the small colony. Han seemed entertained by their story and she feigned the same level of interest but failed to focus on the words they were speaking. She couldn't help but focus instead on how she had spent her afternoon and whether it was clear to everyone present exactly what she and Han had been doing while they had been out chasing down supplies.

In an uncharacteristically chivalrous move, Han had saved her from discovery as they had lingered after their third - _third!_ - session of love-making. The sound of the hatch seal had penetrated the quiet cabin and he had jumped from the bed and began donning his work clothes before her fragmented thoughts recognized the sound she had heard. Handing her a towel and a handful of clean clothes, he pushed her toward the 'fresher that was connected to his cabin. Thus she sat at the table wearing a shirt that was at least three sizes too big and pants that had to be cuffed so many times they felt weighted at her ankles. Despite her ridiculous wardrobe, she gave him credit for his quick thinking. Still, she couldn't help but feel that Luke kept glancing at her sideways and she couldn't even begin to read Chewie's expressions, but knew that he knew Han very well and had probably picked up on something from him. Her cheeks coloured in embarrassment as she imagined the thoughts that must be running through each of their minds.

For both Luke and Chewie's part, neither knew what was bothering the princess, they just knew that something was wrong. Her uncharacteristic silence and lack of appetite served as confirmation. The event that had triggered her mood was anyone's guess, but knowing the volatile relationship shared by the smuggler and the princess, the odds leaned heavily in favour of Han's involvement.

Chewbacca moved to clear the table, having finished his meal first. Leia rose to help him. "Let me do that, Chewie. You should get started on the nav computer. I wouldn't mind getting off this rock."

"You're spending too much time with Han, Leia," Luke admonished. "You're starting to sound just like him."

Han rose to join Chewie in the forward compartment. "She might as well start sounding like me." Reaching around her, he placed his dish on the counter, adding: "First, you wear my clothes, then you start talking like me. Who knows what other habits of mine you might have picked up?"

The comment might have been completely innocent, but when coupled with his lop-sided grin, it caused her to blush furiously with imagined implications. Luke followed Han out of the galley leaving Leia alone with her thoughts. Distractedly, she cleaned the galley, wondering at her reaction to Han and her actions of the afternoon. She still couldn't believe that she had succumbed to her baser desires and slept with him. She knew that she should know better than to sleep with a man like Han and that there was no future in a relationship with him. She also knew that there was no place in her life for a relationship, with him or anyone else for that matter, even if there had been hope for one. What she couldn't rationalize was why, after over a year of denial, had she surrendered to the feelings inside her?

She recalled her first impression of him: his blatant arrogance clearly broadcast, even in the midst of a gunfight with Imperial forces on an Imperial battle station. It was his arrogance that had initially drawn her exasperation, propelling their verbal sparring as she sought to prove that arrogance as unfounded. Soon after that initial meeting though, she recognized it for what it truly was: a combination of confidence that was hard-earned and defence learned from harsh experience. There was something in his arrogance that echoed in her own confidence and it ceased to raise her ire andsoon after that initial impression had been replaced with the man she had come to know.

He was attractive - she had never tried to deny that fact. She could close her eyes and immediately picture him striding down the ramp of the Falcon, his trademark swagger emphasized by his low-slung blaster. He reminded her of the lead singer of one of the musical groups popular in Coruscant a few years back - the Flu'ax, if her memory served her correctly. Something in the way he entered a room, seemingly oblivious to the many appreciative eyes that followed his movements. _'No,' she corrected herself, mentally, 'not oblivious, but indifferent.'_ It was this indifference that added to his sex appeal. His devil-may-care attitude that made many women wish that they could make him care. Even she had to admit to herself (not that she would ever admit it to anyone else) that she had been attracted to this bad-boy smuggler from the seedier parts of the rim. But she had always been able to control that attraction, to dismiss it to a position of non-consequence. That is, she had been able to, until today. Something had changed today. Something had taken their usual verbal confrontation and escalated it into a physical expression of the attraction that had pulsed between them. She couldn't understand why. Why now, after all this time?

Han busied himself with the repair of his beloved ship and tried not to think about Leia and her apparent displeasure at their afternoon of pleasure. He knew her well enough to know that this was not a usual occurrence for her. Despite his reputation, it wasn't a usual occurrence for him either, but he was older than her and had a few more experiences under his belt… or at least he hoped so.

Her silent self-recrimination during their hasty lunch had been one of the reasons he had been convinced to take advantage of her sleepy state. He knew that, given time, she would regret their afternoon tryst and most likely refuse any offers to repeat it. He also knew that once Chewie and Luke returned with the replacement parts for the nav computer, they would have it fixed and be on their way to the next base. There, things would return to status quo, including his explosive relationship with Leia. Remembering the feel of her body pressed beneath his, he hoped that maybe, for once, his instincts were wrong and it hadn't been the last time he would feel her naked flesh pressed against his own.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he refocused on the task at hand. They had been very lucky that the failure of the nav computer hadn't killed them all. He had heard horror stories of ships lost in eternal hyperspace, or others that had flown into a star. They had safely arrived at their destination - or at least according to the nav computer they had. But the planet they found upon emerging from hyperspace had been a temperate one, graced by large lakes and snow-capped mountains.

"Hey kid," he had said. "I know you grew up in a desert and all that, but just because it ain't a hundred degrees and there's a little snow in the mountains, it doesn't really make it an 'ice planet'."

He didn't recall exactly how the discussion - _okay, argument_ - had proceeded from that comment, but it had included several accusations of incompetence, including Leia's insinuation that he had miss-keyed the coordinates. It was then that he realized the true problem. He hadn't miss-keyed the coordinates and Luke hadn't given the coordinates incorrectly. If either of those instances had happened, the computer wouldn't have indicated that they were, in fact, in the right place. Han might not have ever been to the Hoth System, but the green and brown planet they orbited, in spite of what the nav computer indicated, was definitely not the snow-covered planet the rebels had chosen for their next base.

Returning his focus to the delicate wires in the Falcon's forward compartment, Han lamented the absence of the droids. Even Threepio would have been able to offer assistance in verifying the quality of the materials they had gathered in Mantigua, the small colony that had supplied his replacement parts. Chewie had offered assurances that, although the colony was isolated, it had seemed reasonably advanced technologically. He would have to rely solely on his friend's perception; he had landed in an isolated area several kilometres outside of the colony, unwilling to land in an unidentified hanger in an unidentified town on an unidentified planet. It was the division of labour - one party to guard the ship while the other making the trek to town - that had afforded him his afternoon of leisure with Leia.

Cursing himself mentally at his lack of focus, he forced his attention back to his beloved ship. The Falcon had taken good care of its pilot over the years; even this latest malfunction had spared its passengers from injury. Han only hoped that his ship continued its streak. Not many men were capable of manually calculating a path through star systems at speeds faster than light. In fact, anyone smart enough to do so, would get bored with the exercise long before it was completed. A droid could verify any course the computer offered in a reasonable amount of time. They didn't have any droids with them now and Han was extremely sorry for his earlier celebration of their absence. Once their repairs were completed, they would just have to hope that the computer would function properly and they would make it safely to the rendezvous. There were few things he trusted implicitly, but the nav computer was something that he would have to choose to trust or fail to fly at all. He already knew that he would choose to trust it.

_A/N: That's all for now. Please let me know if you enjoy what I've written so far. It makes it so much easier to continue. Scarlet._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and to those larkers who have been reading as well. Here is the latest instalment in my little detour through the Star Wars universe. I hope you continue to enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it so far. And in case anyone is wondering, I don't own any of this. On with the show._

**Unexpected Detours - part 3**

Han woke alone in his cabin again. He had woken alone every morning for the past ten days. _'Actually,'_ he amended mentally, _'I've been waking up alone ever since I got myself tangled up with this lost cause they call a rebellion.' _He had gone to sleep alone every night too, but the difference now was what happened in the time between dusk and dawn. Each night since their safe arrival on Hoth, his sleep had been disturbed as the ramp to the Falcon hissed open. Then, for a brief moment, her figure would be framed in the light outside his doorway as she entered his quarters. The silence would be broken as she shuffled out of her clothing before climbing into bed beside him. His body was well-tuned to that sound now, eager for the caresses that it knew would soon follow. They rarely spoke during their late-night interludes. They would make love and then fall asleep in each other's arms. He already knew that Leia preferred to sleep with her back to his chest, his body spooned around hers, his arms circling her protectively. He was amazed at how well he slept with her next to him; amazed that the first couple of nights he hadn't woken when she had climbed from his bed.

He knew how she liked to sleep, but he didn't know why she left each morning. Well, he was sure that if he confronted her she would offer some excuse about propriety and appearances or any number of things that didn't really matter in the long run. But Echo Base was a full-time operation. There was very little chance that someone hadn't noticed her boarding the Falcon each night and even less a chance that someone hadn't noticed her hurrying away every morning. She was fooling herself if she thought otherwise and Han couldn't believe that Leia was a woman who was easily fooled.

After the fifth night, he had expected her departure and woke when the mattress shifted as she attempted to rise from the bed. He had tightened his arms around her then, whispering in her ear, asking her to stay. She had refused him, fighting against his embrace. He remembered vainly trying to still her flailing arms and legs, demanding to know why she was running away from him, but she had continued to fight him silently. He had thought the battle won. Her body was held fast against his with one arm while the other was wrapped around her shoulders. Her feet kicked ineffectually at his shins and he sought to capture them with his leg. It was at that moment of distraction that her fist had connected with his nose; more the back of her hand than her fist, but the result had been the same. He had released her, screaming at her in pain and outrage. She had hastily dressed, tossing a towel his way to quell the bleeding. A mumbled apology were the only words she had spoken to him that night. A quick "I'm sorry" just before the door closed behind her.

He still remembered how angry he had been that day. All he had wanted to do was spend the rest of the night sleeping with her in his arms. Most women hated it if a man didn't let them spend the night. But not Leia. She had given him a broken nose because he had wanted her to stay. He had avoided her completely that day and had endured more than a few questioning stares at his swollen nose and the bruises beneath his eyes. He would have changed the lock pad on the Falcon to keep her out if Chewie would have let him.

She had come to him much later that night. He had waited for her, staying awake until long after the hour that she would normally venture into his ship. He had been determined to confront her with her actions of the previous night. After several hours of waiting, he had given in to his body's need for sleep. It was then that she had returned to him, the chrono in his room telling him that he had only slept for a short time. When she had slid beside him, he had remained flat on his back, unmoving to her presence in his bed.

After several minutes of silence, he had shifted to turn on the light at the side of his bed. She had moved before he could, straddling him and pulling his hand back from the switch. In the darkness, she caressed his face. She kissed his forehead, his temple, his mouth, whispering "I'm sorry's" between each kiss. She kissed the bruises beneath his eyes and even the bridge of his abused nose. Her hands held his face as she continued to kiss him so tenderly he had thought he might weep, thought for a moment that he had as the first salty tear splashed on his cheek. He had tucked her head against his chest then and held her as she cried quietly in his arms. It had been the first night that she had come to him and they hadn't made love. They had slept in each other's arms, but he had still woken up alone.

Han had grown tired of her game. He had difficulty falling back asleep after she left each morning. His body missed her warmth and his mind raced with thoughts of how to alter their routine. The foul mood he woke to carried with him throughout the day now. Yet, every night, despite his best intentions, he failed to turn her away.

Leia didn't know why she couldn't make herself spend an entire night with Han. At first, she had tried to tell herself that her late-night arrivals and early-morning departures were in the interest of discretion. Closely examined, she knew her excuse was flawed. She knew that were she concerned with keeping up appearances at the base, she wouldn't be going to him night after night. She also knew that she could easily disguise her leaving his ship in the morning as a mission assignment or briefing or some other errand on behalf of the rebellion. She knew that it would be easier to explain her presence on the Falcon at 0900 than at 0500 were she to encounter anyone on her daily trek back to her quarters. But she didn't know why she continued to leave. And she couldn't explain why she returned each night.

_'Well,'_ she thought to herself, _'there is the sex.'_ She had to admit that the sex was good. More than good. She hadn't believed that she would ever enjoy a sexual relationship again. Now she was drawn to him night after night. She also had to admit that she was drawn to him for more than just sex. She was drawn to the safety his arms offered her each night; the hours of dreamless sleep as she slept in his protective embrace; the warmth of his body as it chased away the chill that had settled deep inside her, long before they had landed on this frozen planet. She had developed a need for these things from him. A need that had grown so desperate within her that she had braved his refusal after breaking his nose just for the opportunity to have her craving satisfied. But she was never satisfied. Like an addict, she returned to him night after night. Like an addict, she ran away from her addiction in the light of day.

But she wasn't an addict. She didn't have an addictive personality. She had never been one of those girls who struggled to refuse the delicacies offered by her kitchen or the not-so-delicacies offered at Imperial Court. She had known that sometimes you had to deprive yourself of certain things because it was what was best for you in the long run. She wasn't addicted to Han. She knew that she could back away from him if she had to. But she didn't know if she should back away. She didn't know if she should stay. She didn't know what was best for her in the long run.

Caught between her thoughts and her data pad, she failed to notice the booted feet approaching her until she nearly walked into the man attached to the boots. Somewhere deep inside her, she recognized the man as Han before her eyes traced the Corellian Bloodstripe of his trousers to his trademark holster.

"Hey, Leia," Han reached out to steady her after almost knocking her off balance. "You should pay better attention to where you're going."

"Well, maybe I should. But then the same could be said about you."

"True," came Han's drawn out answer, followed by his lopsided grin. "But then again, maybe I meant to run into to you. Maybe I wanted to see what it felt like to have a little contact with you in the light of day for a change."

Leia quickly glanced around the hallway, shushing Han at the same time. "Will you keep your voice down? Some of us care about our reputation."

"Right, sister, your reputation. I'd hate to break it to you, but they've been talking about us for months now. The fact that you're now avoiding me like an Ammuudian plague has probably raised more eyebrows than anything I could have done."

Leia silently processed his retort, seeing the truth in his words. She had been avoiding him and it had nothing to do with her reputation. She truly didn't care what the others thought. Well, she did want their respect, but because she was a leader and a leader should have the respect of those she led. She couldn't imagine that an affair with anyone, even Han, could cause her to lose their respect. _'Especially, Han,'_ she added silently. _'The men respect him and his abilities more than they respect me.' _She had been avoiding him these past days. She could easily admit that to herself. But only because she didn't know how to deal with this latest development in their relationship. She hadn't had to deal with a man in a romantic relationship in a long while. And that last man had been nothing like Han.

"Well, your highness, are we going to continue to tango in the hallway, or do you think we can take up this conversation later? How about dinner… on the Falcon, so we can keep your reputation in tact."

She chewed silently on her lip in response. She wasn't ready to have that conversation - _'you mean argument'_ - with Han yet. The one she had been avoiding by avoiding him - _'at least in the daylight.'_ She also knew that he would see through any excuse she offered and wouldn't respond well to a negative response. _'Well, Leia,'_ she shored up her inner defences, _'you knew this was coming. Might as well get it over with sooner rather than later.'_ "Sure, Han, that sounds nice," she answered aloud. "What time should I come by?"

_A/N: That's all for now. Sorry it's a little short. Don't worry, their dinner date should be posted shortly. Thanks for reading (and reviewing, I hope.)_

_Scarlet._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: So, my updates aren't coming quite as quickly as I had hoped. Sometimes that darned "real life" gets in the way of all my fun. Well, here is the dinner I promised and please keep the reviews coming… it is my only form of payment. And on that note: I don't own any of this (except maybe the word "flenchk" and I'm sure it's not worth anything). Thanks, GL, for giving us a galaxy to dream in. And now…_

**Unexpected Detours, chapter 4**

Han busied himself with the final preparations on his dinner. He wanted to start the evening off right, considering that this was their official first date. Thankfully, Chewie had replenished the Falcon's galley with fresh food during their side trip to Mantigua. Thankfully, the populace there seemed to enjoy a relatively pleasant palate, not that anything ever compared to Corellian cuisine. And thankfully, Chewbacca hadn't gotten around to eating it all. Somehow, Han couldn't imagine their evening going well if it began with a meal of re-hydrated rations.

And he wanted it to go well. He knew at some point there would be a discussion - _'okay, an argument'_ - after all, everything between them seem to turn into an argument. Still, in some part of his mind, he believed that in the end, they could work it out. There were reasons deep inside him that made him want to work things out with this incredible woman. Reasons he rather not examine, yet. Reasons that had nothing to do with simply continuing their nightly rendezvous'.

Leia arrived shortly before 1900 and he could tell she was nervous the moment she boarded his ship. He knew she feared the upcoming conversation. He feared it as well, but not for the same reasons. He had never put himself on the line before; had never taken a risk; had never been the first to ask for more out of a relationship. He knew that was why he feared their upcoming discussion. On the other hand, he was pretty confident that Leia feared it mostly because it was unknown. She didn't know how the next act would play out. She had been directing the holofilm of their relationship over the past two weeks and he was about to take over that direction. He hoped it was only the unknown that scared her, not the fear of him asking her for more than she was willing to give.

Regardless, he knew that conversation would not go well if he didn't set the proper mood. He wanted her to be relaxed, at ease in his presence. They had been tiptoeing around each other in the light of day for days now. Han was determined to prevent that atmosphere of nervousness from invading their dinner date. Silently, he led her to his makeshift dining table. The holo chess board had a cloth draped over it and he had dimmed the overhead lights so the area was lit with a gentle glow. It lacked the ambiance of some of the swankier places he had dined in, but it still seemed transformed from the way it had looked just a few hours ago. A bottle of wine chilling in an ice bucket served as the table's centre piece and he removed the bottle temporarily from the arrangement, pouring them a each a glass.

Leia accepted the glass, sitting on the edge of the bench that curved behind the table. "Han, you didn't have to go to so much trouble."

He replaced the bottle and settled on the bench opposite her. "It wasn't much trouble, and besides," he answered, "I did invite a princess for dinner. I figure it was the least I could do."

"Could you please drop the title? At least for a while. I mean, I've been coming here every night and…"

Han held up his hand to cut her off. He cursed his mistake at referring to her royal status. He knew that every time he did it just served to raise her ire and he didn't want that for tonight. And he didn't want to her talk about their evening tryst's yet either.

"You're right, Leia, I'm sorry. But it really wasn't much trouble and I didn't mind doing it. I just wanted us to have a nice dinner and seeing as there's a shortage of fancy restaurants on Hoth, I thought I'd improvise."

She smiled and sipped from her glass, wordlessly accepting his truce.

"You know, I didn't realize how much I'd miss going outside. I haven't really been outside since we left Yavin."

Han was a little surprised by the jump in her train of thought, but recovered quickly. "I don't know if anyone's told you this yet, but it's cold out there. Trust me, I've been outside and you don't want to go outside."

She laughed at his intended joke. "I don't want to go outside, here, you nerf-herder."

"Hey, I thought we agreed to drop the titles," he quipped in return.

Leia inclined her head in response before continuing along her original train of thought. "I know it's cold out there. I just hadn't imagined that it would be this cold. So cold that you can't just go for a walk to clear your head. I haven't been outside for over a month and I miss it. If only I had known when we were on Mantigua. Maybe I would've traded places with Luke and made the trek through the wilderness with Chewie instead."

Han had stood during their conversation, moving to get them each a bowl of Paghurian soup to start their meal. "Well, let me tell you," he answered as he returned to the table. "For the record, I'm glad that you didn't. I don't think I would've had as much fun with Luke."

Leia blushed vividly as she recalled the reason that she hadn't left the Falcon that day and silently turned to her soup. Han worried that he had ruined their casual conversation and that the earlier awkwardness would return. He had been thrilled that they had so easily slid into a relaxed banter and now he had ruined the exact effect he had been hoping to achieve. _'Slick, Solo. Real slick.'_ Surprisingly, he had worried needlessly. Leia recovered quickly and their conversation continued to flow as the meal progressed.

"You know," Leia dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin before tossing it on to her empty plate. "I'm beginning to understand why this planet is uninhabited. Do you have any idea how much it costs to run this place? Fuel for the generators alone is using up most of our credits. And nothing is here. We have to go off world for all of our supplies and it's not like there's a planet nearby. The cost of a supply run is through the roof. We're trying to live with just the basic necessities, but we're spending more than ever before. Our weekly food budget is almost double what it was on Yavin and there we actually got to eat real food."

"Yeah, I guess there's a reason in this day and age that a planet is abandoned. You need Chewie and me to go on a run?"

"We might, not yet, but we will." Leia tried not to think about sleeping alone while Han smuggled in supplies for the rebellion. She forced herself instead to think only of the pleasant evening they had just shared. Rising, she began clearing the dishes from the table.

"Oh no, princess." Han took the plates from her hand, flashing a grin as she raised an eyebrow in response to his use of her title. "Clean up's on me."

He carried the dishes into the galley and stacked them in the sink. He had never gotten around to fixing the automatic cleaner; there was always something more important to fix on the Falcon. He began filling the sink with water.

"No, Han, really. Let me do that." Leia moved to stand beside him. "You went through so much trouble and the dinner was excellent. I can't let you wash the dishes as well."

"Oh, I'm not going to wash them. I'm just going to leave them to soak. Chewie'll probably clean them in the morning."

Leia rolled up her sleeves and plunged her hands in the soapy water, making a sound of exasperation as she did so. "Really, Han, I can't believe you."

"What?" He held up his hands innocently, only to have them filled with the first clean plate. "He says he doesn't mind washing dishes. That's why neither of us has bothered to fix the washer."

He reached in the cupboard for a drying cloth and the pair made quick work of the sink full of dishes. Placing the last pot in its compartment, Han poured them each a mug of heated Corellian brandy before joining Leia at the table. She sipped from her mug cautiously before closing her eyes as the smooth liquid travelled down her throat.

"Isn't this nice?" he asked.

"It is. What is this drink again?"

"Not the drink, Leia," Han answered, slightly frustrated. "The night. The dinner. The drink. The conversation. All of it. I don't know about you, but I thought it was rather nice spending the evening with you."

She smiled, but could sense an underlying frustration in his tone. "Yes, it was nice, Han. Thank you for having me."

"Don't get all polite with me. I'm not some politician who just had you and a hundred of his closest friends over for dinner." He rose from the table and began to pace, stopping in front of her. "I'm the man you've slept with every night for the past two weeks." He resumed his pacing. "Don't you think it would be nice to do this more often? To share our dinner and our day before we share our bed. Wouldn't it be nice to sit at this same table in the morning and share a cup of kaffe before we have to start the next day? What is it about this that seems so horrible to you that you would break my nose over it?"

He had stopped pacing then and stood in front of her, ready for battle. She held his gaze briefly, meeting the anger and frustration there before turning away. Her voice, when she answered, was barely above a whisper.

"I told you I was sorry, Han. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know it was you when I did that."

"You didn't know it was me!" Han returned her whisper with an angry shout. "Who in hells did you think it was? If I remember correctly, you knew it was me when you were sleeping beside me. You knew it was me when you got up to leave. And you had to have known it was me when I was yelling at you and trying to get you to calm down. How could you not know it was me?"

"I just… I was trapped and I had to get out. I did what I had to do to get away. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to hurt you."

The confession seemed to have deflated her. She sat with her head hanging, hiding her eyes from him. Her entire posture held an air of defeat - something he had never associated with her before and it confused him. Her words penetrated his mind then. She had been fighting him, but it hadn't been him. There was more to her actions than she was telling. He slid along the bench until he sat beside her.

"You do know that I wouldn't hurt you, Leia." He brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek before sliding his arm around her. "You know that, right?"

She nodded silently, the tenderness in his voice stirring the fount of emotions that she normally kept tightly wrapped inside. She fought to suppress the tears that threatened to spill as he pressed her head against his shoulder, wishing that he hadn't been kind. She couldn't handle his kindness. It cracked the foundation of the walls she had built around her emotions so long ago. She needed to leave to patch the hole before the walls collapsed and she was lost.

"Something happened, didn't it? You can tell me, you know, if you want."

He gathered her awkwardly on his lap, wrapping her fully in his embrace. The warmth of his body and his voice wrapped her in security and she revelled in the warmth that surrounded her. She drew strength from his warmth and fortified her walls. When she answered, her voice was low but carried no hint of the tears that had threatened just moments before: "I know. And I will, soon."

Han held her silently and digested her refusal to share with him an event that had had such an effect on her. Admittedly, there were a few details of his past that he wasn't ready to share with her either. But, he also knew that he wouldn't let them stand in the way of their fledgling relationship. _'And, I certainly wouldn't confuse her for Garris Shrike.'_

"Okay, Leia, I'm not going to ask you to tell me what happened."

She tilted her head up, meeting his hazel eyes as she murmured "thank you".

"But, I need you to explain something. If your punching me had nothing to do with me, then why is it such a big deal for you to stay with me. I know that when you get up to leave each night, I'm the man you're leaving. I know you know that it's me. And I might think that it's because you're just using me if I thought you could ever be like that. But I don't think you could ever be like that… just flenchk a man and then leave him."

Han's use of the Corellian curse word caused her to straighten in his arms. That, and the vulnerability she had glimpsed in his eyes as he had rambled on before cursing. Twisting, so she could face him directly, she placed her hands on his broad shoulders. The vulnerability she had glimpsed was gone, replaced with a mask of cold indifference.

"Han, you know… you have to know that I would never do something like that. And, even if I did want to use a man for some nightly exercise, I would never choose you." She hurriedly continued before he could interrupt: "I care too much about you for that." She paused to gather courage for her own revelation. "I care too much about you to stay with you. I'm afraid of caring too much. I'm afraid that I already do."

Frustrated that her words hadn't yielded the desired realization in his face, she used his shoulders as leverage to push herself off his lap. "You don't understand and I don't know what else to say. I can't explain…"

He pulled her back on his lap. "It's okay. It's okay for now. Just promise me one thing, okay? Just promise me you'll try."

She nodded silently in response. Then, feeling the need to demonstrate her commitment more definitively, she cradled his face in her hands and met his lips in a kiss. The kiss quickly deepened and soon Leia felt herself lifted as he carried her to his room. She recognized that this wasn't a celebration of the progress in their relationship, but rather a retreat, a shift back to their comfort zone. The irony that sex had become comfortable when they had spent over a year avoiding it wasn't lost on her either. A princess who found comfort in sex with a smuggler. Well, these were times of war and any comfort, no matter where it was found, was to be cherished, not questioned. Even as the last statement ran through her mind, she recognized the hollowness of it and glimpsed the truth that she hid behind it.

_A/N: Still more to come, although this chapter seemed to wrap itself up nicely. I just love it when that happens. I will not threaten for reviews, but have no qualms about begging: please, please, pretty please, with a whipped cream covered Han Solo on top:) Scarlet (off to dream about Han and ice cream - now, how do I use that in the next chapter?)_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really does make everything worthwhile. On a side note, I watched ANH the other night with the audio commentary on. GL actually discusses the nav computer on the Falcon and how it's the nav that makes the ship so fast. That it's so accurate at charting courses between planets that it makes the trip shorter. And I went and had it break down. shrugging Well, after that completely useless bit of information, it's time to continue with our story. Oh, and one last thing, send reviews to me, but money to George… he owns everything._

**Unexpected Detours, part 5**

Han lay awake after their lovemaking, his mind processing Leia's revelation. Someone had hurt her. Not recently, but recently enough that she was still dealing with the after effects. Someone had hurt her and he was going to kill him. He was fairly certain that no one had hurt her since their meeting over a year ago; he had been paying close attention to her ever since then. But before then…

His thoughts stumbled to a halt as he recalled the fateful day they had met. She had been prisoner on board the Death Star, scheduled for termination. With his past experience in the Imperial Navy, he knew what happened to prisoners. Especially those that were no longer valuable enough to keep alive. Especially prisoners that were as beautiful as Leia. He had always assumed that her diplomatic status had shielded her from such treatment, but now he wasn't nearly as certain.

He tightened his embrace in sympathy as the horror of what she might have endured flashed through his mind. She hadn't seemed injured when he and Luke had rescued her. But after, as they made the trip to Yavin, he couldn't help but recall their brief encounter aboard the Falcon. He had always thought that it had been that event that had cemented his friendship with Leia. In his mind, he replayed the events of that short trip in vivid detail…

"At least the information in Artoo is still intact." _He could still hear her voice as if she had just spoken the words aloud._

"What's so important? What's he carrying?"

"The technical readouts of that battle station. I only hope that when the data's analyzed a weakness can be found. It's not over yet."

"It is for me, sister. Look, I ain't in this for your revolution and I'm not in it for you, princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money."

"You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you love than that's what you'll receive." _To Luke she added as she had exited the cockpit:_ "Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything. Or anybody."

He could still recall the hostility that had been in her eyes as she left. It had been that hostility and her departing comment to Luke that had compelled him to chase after her, to justify his stance. He had wanted to explain his debt to Jabba and how his life, and Chewie's, had depended on his repaying that debt. He had been full of good intentions when he had followed her. He couldn't remember what had happened to those intentions when he finally found her.

_She had been standing in front of two doors, one that lead to the sleeping quarters and the other to the storage area. She had seemed to be contemplating them both._

"What's the matter, your worship? Lost? Or are you waiting for a servant to open the door so you can pass through?"

_The instant the sarcastic remarks had left his lips, he had regretted them. He hadn't followed her to continue the argument that they seemed to have started the moment they had met. She had turned then to face him and had he not been paying attention, he might have missed the shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes._

"I am not lost! And I'm not… I will not justify myself to a scoundrel like you. I'm just… I'm…" _she had faltered, unable to complete the sentence._

As he recalled the moment, he realized that even she hadn't known what she was going to say, hadn't known why she had been standing there nor where she had been going. The first tear had escaped and he had watched as it traced a path down her too-pale cheek before she had turned her back on him. He remembered feeling so awkward in that moment. He had wanted to earn her respect - even then he knew that was why he had chased after her - and instead, he had managed to insult her further.

_'Her whole world was just destroyed, literally. And all you can do is insult her royal status… royal status on a world that doesn't even exist anymore.' He had silently berated himself, preparing to leave her to her tears and privacy. He still remembered clearly the way her body had seemed to sway before him - it was that unsteadiness that had driven him to reach out to her. She had flinched at the initial weight of his hand on her shoulder, but a mumbled apology and a small step that brought him to her and then she had been sobbing forcefully into his chest._

He had always thought that those tears had been for Alderaan. But as he looked back on that moment, he couldn't help but remember the whimper as he had tightened his arms around her; the utter exhaustion that had allowed him to carry her to a bunk without protest; the bruises he had discovered that she had explained away as injuries from their battle with the garbage chute. When he thought back to that moment knowing what he knew now, he realized that although her rescue had been timely, it may have been too late at the same time. Her tears had been for Alderaan, but they had been for herself as well.

He pressed a kiss against her ear, whispering, promising to keep her safe from any further harm. Gently, so as to not wake her, he pulled her closer to him, fitting her body perfectly against his own. Smoothing her hair, he slept with her scent in his dreams. And for the first time, in the morning, he woke with her warmth in his arms.

"Morning, sweetheart."

Han's voice rasped with sleep and as she shifted, she realized that there might be another reason for his raspy voice. She stretched lazily, eyes closed, unwilling to greet the new day, yet. His hands traced heated paths along her hips, while he nuzzled the curve of her neck.

"Got time for a kaffe?" His voice rumbled against her ear.

"Mmm, depends. What time is it?" She was impressed with her ability to form a coherent sentence in spite of the distraction of Han's warmth.

There was a pause and she could feel him straining to read the chrono that sat on the shelf behind him. "Almost oh-six hundred. Why don't you use the 'fresher and I'll get started."

Leia followed the exquisite smell of freshly brewed kaffe to the small galley of the Falcon. She felt the blush rise to her cheeks as Chewie growled a greeting from the table, or at least she presumed it was a greeting. She barely managed to mumble a "good morning" in return before joining Han at the small counter. She sipped quietly from her cup, willing the colour to fade from her cheeks. Logically, she knew that she shouldn't be embarrassed to see Chewbacca so early in the morning. She knew that he had to have some knowledge of her relationship with Han. She just hadn't been prepared to be faced with his knowledge so soon after she had accepted that she was, in fact, in a relationship.

Chewie growled a question then and she looked to Han inquisitively, promising herself silently that she would instantly begin improving on her understanding of the Wookie language.

"You can thank Leia for that," Han answered, addressing Chewie before taking a bite of a piece of toast. "She wouldn't let me leave them for you."

Leia answered Chewie's growl without translation: "If that was 'a thank you', then you're welcome. But really, you shouldn't let him get away with leaving all the dishes for you. It's completely unfair."

"Hey!" Han's voice sounded offended despite being muffled by the food in his mouth. Swallowing, he continued: "I do the cooking. He does the cleaning. That's the deal. How can you say that's not fair?"

Leia hid her smile behind the rim of her cup. She almost felt like laughing at the look of insult that adorned Han's face. She might have if she hadn't just realized how sexy he looked so early in the morning. He had taken the time pull on a pair of pants that were so threadbare they looked as though he had been wearing them every morning for several years. She might describe them as sleepwear if she didn't already know that he slept nude. He had taken the time to put on pants, but that was about all he had taken the time to do. He stood before her shirtless, a day's worth of stubble darkening his cheeks. His hair stood up all over his head and her fingers itched to smooth it, or to mess it further. Her eyes travelled the expanse of his bare chest, taking in its well-moulded form before continuing their trek downward. She laughed out loud then, her eyes resting on his bare feet. For some reason, the sight of Han Solo's bare feet made her laugh.

She realized how incongruous her being there seemed. She stood in the galley fully dressed with the exception of her outer coat. She had even taken the time to pull on her snow boots and to braid her hair. She looked out of place in this casual morning routine. She was invading the partners' daily ritual and she knew that she didn't belong.

Han filled her cup without asking and silently offered her a piece of toast. She was about to refuse - the toast, the kaffe, the comfortable morning routine, all of it - when another realization pushed its way into her consciousness. The only reason she felt out of place with the pair was of her own doing. She was the one who had tried to thrust propriety into the scene. Had she not recognized the inappropriateness of her dress, she wouldn't have felt out of place. Han and Chewie had accepted her intrusion on their morning willingly. They had, in fact, made her a part of it.

"Come on, Leia, you should eat something," Han broke the silence after watching the myriad of emotions play across her face. "I'm sure you have a long day planned and you'll probably forget to eat lunch and maybe even dinner. At least have something now."

"You're right. And my father did teach me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day." She accepted the food - and the conversation - and moved to a seat at the small table next to Chewie. "My question though, Han, is why are we eating toast while Chewie is eating…" she paused to take a bite of her toast.

"Last night's dinner," Han completed the sentence for her. He shrugged before answering: "I didn't think you would want that much in the morning."

The trio continued conversing over their kaffes until Leia left to prepare for an early morning meeting. Han and Chewie discussed how they would proceed with their repairs on the Falcon. The ship was already in better running condition than it had been in a long time. If it hadn't been for the time he was getting to spend with Leia, Han knew that he would be chafing at the inactivity. Since arriving at Hoth, his and Chewie's services had been under utilized. Except for the odd scouting missions - that they had accepted in spite of the cold - they hadn't been asked to help in any other way. Hanging around the hanger at least garnered them the occasional request for advice on how to repair something or the temporary use of a tool. But other than these rare instances, the rebels left the pair on their own.

Han knew that if it hadn't been for Leia - and Luke, the kid had become a good friend - the Falcon would've taken to the stars by now. He wanted to spend time with Leia, but he needed activity in his day. He wasn't meant for the life of a Hutt; he couldn't just sit around while beings worked around him. He couldn't, and neither could Chewie, continue to pass the days this way, even if the days ended with nights spent with Leia.

He thought of the emotions that had played across Leia's face that morning. Something had kept his tongue still and allowed her to work out the conflict on her own and he was glad that she had and that she had done so without any influence on his part. Maybe that wasn't entirely true. He had managed to control the desire that had surged within him when he woke with her in his arms. He had managed not to make a single sarcastic remark when she had come to the galley looking as if she was ready for a briefing. _'Who can do that that early in the morning?'_ He even had managed not to drag her back to his cabin after she had eyed him up and down shamelessly; although her perusal had ended in laughter, and he really wasn't sure what that had meant. His restraint might have helped her to relax into their routine, but at least she had done so on her own. He was willing to ask her to stay, but he wasn't willing to ask her to want to stay.

That night, Leia didn't join him for dinner, but she did stay for kaffe in the morning. When he returned to his cabin to dress, he noticed the light shirt and sweatpants that she had worn for breakfast folded neatly on the corner of the bed. He smiled and placed them in the drawer with his own sleep pants, whistling as he left to search out General Rieekan.

_A/N: Please review. (Sorry, no whipped-cream Han Solo's to offer this time… I used them all up. I guess you could say I ate them all up, but that would bring the line down a whole other train of thought and I don't think we should go there now.)_

_Also, thanks to everyone who's come this far with me. I hope you continue for the rest of the trip, which I must admit might turn out to be a bit of a journey. When I first started writing this story, I had a rough outline of where I would take Han and Leia. Amazingly after five chapters, we still have quite a few stops still to make. So once again, please review. It will make the journey much easier for me._

_Scarlet._


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I just wanted to start by thanking everyone who has been showing their continued interest (and support) by sending me all the wonderful reviews. Please keep them coming. It truly does make everything worthwhile. And I don't own anything… send all your money to GL, if he doesn't have it already. I mean, how many different releases are there going to be of the original trilogy? My deepest sympathies to all the diehard collectors out there. And now, without any further adieu…_

**Unexpected Detours, part 6**

They fell into a routine after those first nights on Hoth. Some nights Leia would join Han and Chewie for dinner and some mornings she would join them for breakfast, but rarely would she do both. He was sure that she was still trying to maintain some discretion and he also knew that she was surprisingly successful at it. The rebels on Hoth were a small, close-knit group, but they were also a busy one. There were rumours of a relationship between the smuggler and the princess, but there had always been rumours and none of them insinuated that the relationship was anywhere near the level that it was at currently. So Han let her keep their secret and tried not to let it bother him that she didn't want anyone to know about his new role in her life.

He cursed aloud as his finger brushed against the hot metal of the pan. He chased thoughts of Leia from his mind and focused instead on trying to make something edible out of their remaining foodstuffs and rations. He had been checking the outer perimeter with Luke when their conversation had turned to lunch. The kid had been eating cafeteria rations for weeks and Han had taken pity on him and invited him for dinner. He felt guilty that he had left his friend out of his dinner plans for so long, but when they had first arrived, Luke had been caught up in the comradery of the rogue squadron. Then Leia had begun to share his table and he knew that she wouldn't want him included in their quiet evenings. Even now, he was gambling in inviting Luke. But Leia had come for dinner three nights in a row and she was due to alter her routine - overdue actually, by her standards.

Now he was faced with the task of creating a meal that was actually better than the slop offered in the cafeteria with the meager supplies he had on hand. He was certain that the rebellion was in as dire need of supplies as he was and knew that he and Chewie would be making a supply run soon. He would've left days earlier on his own if he hadn't been busy with his newly acquired duties on base.

Luke and Chewie were already seated at the holochess table, engrossed in a game that Luke was winning, if the growls that he overheard were any indication.

"Hey, Chewie," he called to his partner. "Just give up and clear the game. Sounds like Luke has you beat and dinner's ready. Come on and give me a hand bringing everything in."

Luke laughed as Han entered laden with a steaming bowl, the corner of a drying cloth tucked into his waistband.

"Han, I never figured you for a cook, or a waiter."

"You learn a few tricks when you're on your own, kid, but I'm no waiter. Turn off that game so I can put this down. I can't stand to eat when those creatures are projected on my plate."

Luke hurried to do as Han asked while Chewie left to bring in the plates and glasses. The clink of dishware was followed by the sound of the outer door opening.

"Where in hells is he going? He knows that kru'aski is best when its hot."

Luke seemed about to answer when Chewie returned, followed closely by Leia. Han took in her expression and cursed himself for not looking for her more diligently earlier so he could warn her of Luke's invitation.

"Han, why didn't you mention that Leia was coming, too." Luke smiled, seeming genuinely happy to have an extra companion for their dinner. "We almost started without her."

"Well, she wasn't sure if she could make it, right your highness?" Han answered smoothly.

Leia, for all her skills at diplomacy, seemed at a loss so he continued: "When I mentioned to her that you were getting tired of that ghenk they pass off as food in the cafeteria and that you were joining me for a real meal, well, she got all jealous that I hadn't included her, so I did. You almost missed out, princess. Chewie doesn't usually leave any leftovers."

"I guess it's a good thing I wasn't detained any longer, captain, because I certainly didn't come here just for the company." Leia's tone was cold as she took a seat next to Luke.

If he wasn't sure before, Han knew now that she wouldn't forgive him easily for having caught her unawares. He then thought of all the ways that he could beg her forgiveness later that night and was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't realize that he was the only one who hadn't begun to eat. Seating himself, he returned to their conversation. "So what kept you, Leia?"

For her part, Leia tried not to notice Luke's reaction to Han's use of her first name. She doubted that he had ever heard Han - or anyone for that matter - address her so casually. Well, anyone except for himself. He had always referred to her by her given name, without any formalities attached. Han rarely used her first name - well, at least before - but there was little hint of formality even when he did use her title. It was most likely that lack of ceremony that had enabled her to develop a more personal relationship with both men. Not that she could ever imagine a sexual relationship with Luke; she didn't believe that she could ever feel anything more than friendship for him. Of course, a few months ago, she might have had the same thoughts about Han. But even at that time, she would have recognized those thoughts for the lies that they were.

Focusing herself back on the conversation at hand, she answered Han's question. "Actually, Captain Solo, I was detained by General Rieekan. He asked me to pass on a request to you. He has made arrangements with a contact on Anobis Prime for a shipment of supplies and he was hoping that you and Chewbacca could bring them here." After a brief pause, she added: "For your usual fee, of course."

Chewie growled a response and, although Leia's grasp of his language remained rudimentary, she knew it to be an enthusiastic one. The Wookie had been grounded for too long.

"Anobis Prime, huh? That's not so bad. When does he want us to leave?"

"That's the other part of the message. He apologizes for the lack of notice, but he needs you to leave in the morning." Leia met Han's eyes and held his gaze for a moment before turning away and continuing, mindful of their audience. "There were some complications at first which delayed the final arrangements, but they have since been sorted out. We are in dire need of these supplies and can't afford to wait any longer."

"Well, princess, we're at your service. And tell the general not to worry about the short notice. We'll make up for it on his bill."

Leia had been so lost in her thoughts about Han's departure that she forget to take offence at his last comment. Fortunately, Luke took up the slack and began an animated discussion on the ethics of Han and Chewie accepting payment from the cash-strapped rebellion. The discussion faded rapidly though. Luke didn't have the verbal skills to cross words with Han and Leia failed to jump into the battle once it had begun. The conversation turned to a more neutral territory and the remainder of the dinner passed amiably. The night ended quickly after dinner with Han using the excuse of their early departure to politely evict their guests.

Luke walked Leia to her quarters and she lay in the darkness on the unfamiliar sheets. She tried not to think about the nights ahead, nights that she would spend alone in these same quarters. She tried not to dwell on how foreign the room felt to her and how at home she felt on the Falcon. It truly had become her home, the first 'home' for her in many years, even before the loss of Alderaan. Deciding that enough time had passed, she returned to her home for one last night.

The ramp was lowered, awaiting her arrival. At the top, his tall frame was silhouetted in the doorway and she struggled not to rush the last steps that brought her to him. His hand reached for hers from the shadows and then she was wrapped in his embrace. He held her tightly and she listened to his heartbeat, telling herself that her need to be held by him had nothing to do with her needing him. And later, in the afterglow of their tender lovemaking, when a few silent tears escaped in the quiet of the night, she told herself that those tears had nothing to do with her feelings for him. Two weeks later, eight days after he had been scheduled to return, when she lay awake in her foreign cot after sobbing until her tears had dried up, she told herself that her tears were only out of concern for him; concern that she would feel regardless of who had gone missing. It wasn't until the morning, when an urgent pounding had awakened her from her fitful slumber, and she was informed that he had just requested clearance to land. That morning, tears of joy streamed down her face and for the first time she owned the emotion behind her tears. For the first time, she admitted that she couldn't play the games any longer; the only player she stood to defeat was herself. That morning she owned all of her feelings for him: the despair and the joy, the desire and the pain, and the love and the need. And for the first time in her brief, but long life, she recognized the good feelings that came only if she allowed herself to feel the bad.

_A/N: Sorry for the short update. I decided that a short update was better than no update at all. And the next part was working itself into a chapter all its own. _

_Please read and review. It's the least you can do since I was tempted to end at Han being eight days overdue, but changed my mind at the last minute. I just couldn't be that cruel._

_Scarlet._


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this latest chapter up, but I've finally managed to catch up on my RL after my little vacation and could return to this fun. Many thanks to all of you who took the time to review… some of you who have been doing so since the beginning and those of you who have jumped in along the way. To GL, thanks for inspiring all of the wonderful fanfics out there by creating this universe and please don't sue. None of this belongs to me. And now, on with the show. I hope it was worth the wait._

**Unexpected Detours, part 7**

Feeling better now that she had decided that she would stop fighting her feelings for Han, Leia took the time to clean herself up before going to greet him. She stood in the sonic refresher humming, feeling both tired and rejuvenated at the same time. It was a curious feeling and she couldn't help but question the sleepless nights she had spent alternating between missing and worrying about him. She didn't doubt that she would have missed him, but she wondered, had she accepted her feelings for him, would she have been able to sleep while doing so. She smiled to herself as the last thought crossed her mind. She knew that her inability to sleep at night had something to do with her missing and worrying about Han. But she also knew that, feelings accepted or not, after falling asleep in his arms every night for the past two months, she would not have slept well in her lonely cot, whether she had known that he was safe or not.

Feeling refreshed and excited to see Han, Leia hurried to the hanger bay. The flurry of activity that must have surrounded his arrival had cleared by the time she arrived and all that remained were a few rebels helping unload the cargo from the Falcon's storage areas. She entered the ship and moved to the cockpit searching for the man who had occupied so many of her thoughts. To her chagrin, the cockpit was empty, as was the galley and Han's cabin. Determining that he might be outside the ship, supervising the unloading of the cargo, she turned to leave. It was then that she heard his booted steps on the ramp and his voice as it carried along the passageways.

"I don't care, Chewie. I've got to take care of this thing with Jabba. It's getting out of hand."

Chewie growled in return and Leia thought she heard the words "think" and "leave".

"Look, I know it's not going to be easy and I know Jabba's not going to be happy. But I've got to pay him before the price on my head gets so high that I have every bounty hunter in the galaxy after me. And you, too. Don't forget it's not just my freedom I'm looking after here."

Chewie barked another response and this time Leia was certain she heard her name a few times. She cursed her poor grasp of the alien tongue, wishing for a better understanding of their conversation. Then again, a part of her didn't want to know what they were really saying. Because at the moment, it seemed as if they were talking about leaving and she was fairly certain that there was little likelihood that they were also talking about returning.

_'I spent the last two weeks worried about him and missing him and learning about my feelings for him. Apparently, all he learned over that time was how much he enjoyed his old life… his life before me.'_

Immediately after the thought completed in her mind, the door to his cabin opened.

"Leia!" A smile burst on his face. "I've been looking for you."

"Well," she answered, a half-smile in answer to his full one. "I'm right here."

He seemed unaffected by her less than enthusiastic welcome and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly and she remembered how his warmth could chase away the cold. His hand slid up her back until it tangled in her freshly braided hair. Sliding free from the strands, his thumb caressed her jaw before tilting her chin up. His soft lips found hers and soon she was lost in their kiss. Heart pounding, she abandoned herself to her senses, savouring the taste of him, his undeniably masculine scent, the taut muscles of his back smooth beneath the caress of her hands. They separated, breathless and she failed to contain the shiver of pleasure that coursed through her as he exhaled with a sigh that caressed her ear gently.

"Oh, gods, Leia. I missed you."

His voice was barely a whisper and she closed her eyes to his confession, knowing the lie it held and afraid of the truth it told. How could he hold her and tell her that he missed her like that and not mean it? How could he mean it and not want to stay with her? Tears welled in her eyes and she cursed her inability to control her emotions, realizing suddenly that owning her emotions offered as many roadblocks as passageways. Feeling joy meant feeling pain. Controlling joy had meant controlling pain. She seemed to be dissolving into tears every day now and she hated the lack of control that those tears exposed.

Taking several minutes and several deep, steadying breaths, she pulled away from his embrace. "I have to go. I just stopped by to see you and to tell you that I was glad that you made it back safely."

If Han was put off by her almost-formal response, he gave her no indication. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I know you have work to do. Come by later for dinner. I brought us back a nice bottle of wine."

She nodded silently, not trusting her voice to shield her emotions, and hurried off the ship. Pausing first in her quarters to address the dishevelled state of her hair, she continued to the briefing that had been scheduled immediately after lunch. A lunch that she hadn't taken the time to eat, not that she had much of an appetite as of late. However, skipping lunch after having skipped breakfast meant for a really long day. She checked her chrono and surmised that she had enough time to stop in the cafeteria for a protein drink that would serve to tide her over until dinner. _'Dinner with Han. How can I sit through a dinner with him and pretend that I don't know that he's planning to leave?'_ Shaking her head in answer to her silent question, she continued hurriedly to her meeting.

"… and for now that's all we need to discuss on the budget. Princess Leia is working on a few angles to try to improve our situation, but until then, please remember to conserve wherever possible." General Rieekan stood at the front of the room, addressing the various area commanders before him. "Now onto a more pressing and dire matter."

Leia sat up straighter in her seat. Her thoughts had drifted throughout the general's summary of the rebellion's current financial situation. She didn't make it a habit of drifting off during important briefings, but she had practically written the general's entire report and knew that there would be no new information for her in this area. The tone of his last comment had garnered her attention though. That, and a feeling deep inside her that told her that their uneventful tenure on Hoth might be drawing to an end.

"As many of you know, Captain Solo and First Mate Chewbacca have just returned from a supply run that ran several days over schedule. Apparently, the complications that we were assured had been taken care of before we dispatched the Millennium Falcon were not completely neutralized. Just as they departed Anobis Prime, the Falcon fell under heavy fire and I'm certain that, were it to have been flown by lesser skilled pilots, the Falcon would not have been able to escape and return to base.

"According to Captain Solo, he felt quite certain that the Imperials were not only involved, but that they knew of the Falcon's connection to the rebellion. There are only two ways this could have occurred: either there was a leak in the group on Anobis, or there is a leak amongst our group here."

There was a general murmur of disbelief throughout the room. For her part, Leia was struggling to absorb the reality of the danger that Han had been in during his absence. She hadn't even thought to question his delay once he had arrived; she had been happy just to have him home. And, on top of everything else, she had to take in the idea that there might be a traitor in their midst.

Rieekan continued after the murmur dimmed. "I'm asking each of you to keep a close watch on your ranks and to keep your chain of information limited to a need-to-know basis. Captain Solo assures me that he took the necessary precautions to prevent anyone from following him here so we draw no further danger from that quarter. We will be grounding all ships until further notice. Keep your eyes and ears open and may the force be with you."

Leia completed a few tasks in a fog before escaping to the quiet of her quarters. She had hoped to sleep, succumbing to the exhaustion that had followed her for several days now, but found instead that she lay awake contemplating the emotional pod race of her day. She had felt sheer joy at the discovery of Han's safe arrival; complete rejection at his plans to leave her; total betrayal and utter longing for what could-have-been as he held her and made her want to believe the words that he whispered in her ear. She had discovered that she had almost lost him and may have never had the chance to hear him whisper those words at all. And she discovered that that loss could have been the work of someone that she knew and trusted.

She tried to think of everyone who knew of Han's trip to Anobis Prime. There was the general, herself and Luke; he had been present when she had relayed the mission to Han. There was the crew in the hanger bay that had helped prepare the Falcon for take-off. There was also the various command personnel that had been in the numerous meetings that had surrounded this particular supply run. The list was endless and yet it was small at the same time. They didn't do much in the way of securing intelligence amongst the faction stationed here on Hoth. Everyone who was here had been here since day one. The thought that one of their own was responsible made her head pound, not just because of the pain of that betrayal, but also the depth of that person' knowledge. Rieekan had been right - they needed to change the way they conducted the rebellion.

Despite her best intentions, Leia's thoughts drifted back to Han. The very fact that she was currently devoting so much time and energy to their relationship justified why she had avoided personal relationships in the past. She was a leader of the rebellion, a commander of troops, not a weak-willed woman who worshipped a rogue spacer to the point of insomnia. She despised the fact that he had driven away her anger with a simple embrace and a few words of longing. Words that she knew that she had needed to hear, even if they hadn't been completely truthful. She hated needing them; she hated needing him. And she couldn't deny that she had grown to need him. She couldn't sleep without him because she had spent so many nights in his arms. She wanted to spend so many more nights in his arms, even if it meant never being able to sleep again. She had grown dependent on him and he couldn't be depended on. She couldn't afford to be dependent on him; she had too many people depending on her. She needed to be strong. He was strong. What she couldn't understand was that even though he seemed to envelop her in his strength, she never felt weak in his presence. The truth was that she usually felt strengthened.

Checking her chrono, she dismissed her thoughts, realizing that Han would be expecting her for dinner. Dragging herself from her cot, she made the trek to the hanger. A trek too short to give her sufficient time to sort out their relationship: how she would handle this latest development, whether she would tell him that she knew he was leaving and whether she had the nerve to ask him to stay. Chewie was leaving as she climbed the ramp and she smiled a quick greeting which he returned with a growl. Entering the Falcon, she found the common area staged as it had been the first night Han had asked her to join him for dinner. She was even more uncertain of their relationship this night than she had been that night so many nights ago. She sat wordlessly at the table and sipped from the glass of wine that Han had handed her as she had arrived. Her thoughts tumbled through her mind as she tried to organize them and to develop a plan for their next conversation.

Han allowed Leia to set the tone of their evening. He knew from her demeanour that something was troubling her, but also knew from past experience not to question her about it directly. Actually, he could question her, but she would simply tell him that everything was fine. And if he was foolish enough to pursue the topic further, he was sure they would enjoy a terrific argument that would end with one, if not both, of them storming off the ship. He had hopes for something different from this evening, and decided to wait for her to talk to him. Or to at least give her the opportunity to talk to him before starting an argument about it.

"How's the wine?" he asked, hoping the neutral topic would allow her to relax.

"Good," she answered quietly. "Excellent, actually. We're paying you too well if you can afford a bottle of wine like this."

"Don't worry, Leia. No hard-earned rebellion dough in that glass. Just pure strategy and a little luck at the Sabaac tables."

"So that's why you decided to extend your trip. So you could have some extra time to gamble?" Leia's tone was sharp in answer.

"Easy, Leia. No need to get so worked up. In case you didn't hear already, Chewie and me ran into some imps when we were leaving Anobis and thought it might be better to look like we were on a trip of our own rather than leading them here. Hopping into a couple of high-profile tournaments seemed like a pretty good diversion, even if it did manage to catch the interest of a couple of bounty hunters at the same time."

Han left the table and stalked into the galley. He was fast approaching the limits of his patience with the woman seated at his table. She had been less-than-thrilled to see him this afternoon and now she was questioning the time he had spent away. Time that had been spent risking his life so that she wouldn't have to risk hers. Chewie had warned him against entering the Sabaac tournament, but he had chosen to ignore his friend's advice. He knew that they had to do more than just disguise their return trip to Hoth. He knew that it was in the rebellion's best interest if it wasn't linked to their visit to Anobis at all. He had recalled an old notice on the planet advertising a hotel as one of many stops in an interstellar Sabaac tournament and used that information to create a cover for their departure. He had assumed the added risk of being discovered by one of the many bounty hunters employed by Jabba for the sake of the rebellion. And after all of that, did she even appreciate the extra effort he had gone through to keep them safe? After all of that, did she throw her arms around him and tell him how happy she was to see him?

He slammed empty pots into the sink after having dumped their contents onto two plates. A soft hand pressed against the centre of his back then and the anger bred from his earlier thoughts was diffused in that simple touch. He turned to face her and noticed for the first time how tired she looked. Her pale complexion had become unbelievably paler in the days of his absence. The shadows beneath her eyes had deepened during those days as well.

"I'm sorry, Han," she spoke, turning her gaze downward, away from his. "I didn't mean to snap. I know why you were delayed and I know it was dangerous and…"

He waited for her to continue but after several moments of unbroken silence, he knew that she wasn't ready yet. He would have to wait for her to tell him what she really had on her mind. Her apology renewed his patience and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"C'mon Leia," he released her and handed her a plate. "You look tired and like you haven't had a decent meal in days."

He could hear the smile in her voice when she answered: "So what are you offering? A good meal or a good night's sleep?"

"How about a little of both? A good meal and a good night. You'll have to take care of the sleep on your own."

"Scoundrel!" she laughed in response.

They settled in comfortably for dinner and ate silently for a time before Han began to relate the story of his ill-fated trip to Anobis Prime.

"I told Rieekan when I got back that I didn't think that the traitor is here and I still don't think so now."

"How can you be so sure? I mean, we didn't broadcast your trip to the entire base, but we didn't exactly keep it quiet either."

"They didn't start shooting at us until they realized that we had found the locator," he reasoned. He had explained to Leia that Chewie had performed a precautionary scan of the ship before takeoff and had found a tracking device attached discreetly at the joint of the rear, portside landing gear. It would have been indiscernible on visual inspection and was technologically advanced enough to avoid detection by all but the most sophisticated ship scanners. Fortunately, the Falcon had been equipped with one of those scanners.

"As we were leaving the planet's atmosphere," he continued, "they must have realized that the signal wasn't moving." He shrugged. "I thought we could make the jump before they found out. Anyway, that's why I told the general that I didn't think we were given up by one of the rebels here. The imperials seemed bent on capturing us, not killing us. If all they had wanted to do was capture us, they had ample opportunity while we were securing the supplies. They didn't have to wait until we were in space."

"But maybe the group on Anobis made the Imperials wait until you had left so they wouldn't be implicated," Leia countered.

Han shrugged his shoulders in response. "Still means that Anobis is suspect. And I still think that their main goal was to track us back here. And if the traitor was here, they wouldn't need a locator to find us."

With Leia's fears about a traitor living amongst the rebels allayed for the time being, her thoughts drifted back to the partial conversation that she had overheard that afternoon. She still hadn't decided whether she was going to tell Han that she had overheard his plans to leave. But her conversation over dinner had convinced her that she would cherish the time that she could still spend with him. Terror had seized her heart as he had enthusiastically described the battle that he and Chewie had barely managed to escape. It forewarned of the pain that would come when Han left her for good. She knew now that that pain was inevitable. And over the course of his storytelling, she had decided that she would rather have had more good times to remember once he had left and that maybe those memories would help her when the pain became too great.

Later that night, she woke with his arms wrapped tightly around her and found that she couldn't return to the peaceful sleep that her exhausted body so desperately needed. His warmth surrounded her and she pressed her back more deeply against his chest, trying to lose herself completely in the circle of his embrace.

_'Maybe this is why I had such a hard time falling asleep while he was gone. I could never manage to generate any warmth in my quarters.'_ She turned gently in his arms, careful not to wake him, and tilted her head back to look up at his chiselled features.

_'Maybe it was the cold that helped keep me asleep, too.'_ There had been many nights that she had tossed and turned while he had been away, only to sleep well into the late morning hours. Normally an early riser, she had had to resort to setting her bedside chrono to wake her after having arrived late for a couple of important briefings.

_'Maybe it was that damned cot.'_ She pressed her ear against his chest and listened to the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat. The first night she had spent in her cot had been the night after Han had left. To be completely truthful, she had fled Han's bed many nights in those early days and had lain in her cot, but that night after he had left had been the first night that she had actually tried to sleep in her cot. All of her sleep before than had been at his side.

_'No wonder I'm exhausted.'_ It was then that her thoughts tumbled to a sudden halt. She traced back through the haze of many days and nights. She traced back through all of her hours on Hoth. She searched her memory as she vainly tried to remember something so routine that it barely registered in her memory banks, but those nights with Han were blatant evidence of its absence from her routine.

_'Oh gods, how could I not have known sooner.'_ She opened her eyes in the dark of the cabin; the soothing sound of his heartbeat mocked the sudden panic that surged within her. _'I'm pregnant.'_

_A/N: Okay, so big dramatic revelation at the end. I hope it wasn't too dramatic (read: unbelievable). I did try to foreshadow it a bit in the last couple of chapters. And I so didn't want to end with a big dramatic revelation (like a TV cliffhanger or something like that). But sometimes the fanfic takes over and as an author, you have to yield to its dictates. Thus, big dramatic revelation at the end of a chapter. Tune in next time to see how it all works out:)_

_Scarlet._


	8. Chapter 8

_a/n: So I hope I didn't make everyone wait too long for this update. I hated having a cliffhanger-ish ending so I wanted to move the story forward as quickly as possible. As before, I don't own any of the characters, etc. I'm just borrowing them for a while and I promise to give them back when I'm finished. On another note, the good thing about rain delays is that it gives a girl a chance to put the finishing touches on her latest update and post it. So I guess this post is dedicated to mother nature, and all of the wonderful reviews who have kept me energized so far._

**Unexpected Detours, part 8**

Han woke in the morning only to find Leia already gone. He had a vague recollection of her kissing his cheek, but he could have sworn that had been sometime in the middle of the night and that she had just been getting up to use the refresher. She hadn't left him in the middle of the night for ages and he briefly dismissed it as a dream. _'She must've had an early morning meeting.'_ Stumbling to the 'fresher, he began his morning routine and emerged fully awake after having showered and shaved. It was then that he noticed the time on the chrono: 0620. "She couldn't have had a meeting that early," he mumbled and left the cabin in search of some kaffe.

He strode angrily along a cold, white corridor. His uncertainty of the morning four days earlier had been replaced with resentment that same night as he went to sleep alone. His feelings had escalated from there. He cared deeply about the woman who had managed to inspire such hostility within him, but he refused to play her games any longer. When she had first tried to use his bed as a stopover in her nightly travels, he had humoured her and exercised a little patience. He had honestly believed that once he had shown her that they could spend time together before and after their bed play that she would want to spend that time with him. He hadn't minded asking her then. He refused to do so now.

_'But I sure as hells am going to ask her who she thinks she is and why the flenchk she's avoiding me.'_

Leia had come to his bed that second night, but had left again in the early morning hours. That morning he woke to bitterness and carried it with him throughout the day. The next night, he had waited for her until finally he had admitted defeat; she hadn't come to him at all. Last night, he hadn't bothered to wait and she hadn't bothered to show. This morning he had woken to anger and it boiled within him. He ignored the comlink at the side of the door before him and banged a fist heavily upon it.

"Han?" Leia's startled expression greeted him as the door slid open. "What are you doing here?" He strode past her and entered the room, leaving her question unanswered. "Come in, I guess."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Han replied mockingly. "Was I supposed to wait for an invitation? I guess I assumed that since you were sleeping on my ship that I was at least welcome in your quarters."

"Han, of course you're welcome. I just…"

"Don't use that condescending, diplomatic tone with me." He pointed an accusing finger at her, lowering it after a look of remorse passed across her features, satisfied that she recognized the truth in his charge.

He turned to take in his surroundings and began a casual stroll along the perimeter of the room. Finally, reaching the edge of her cot, he turned on her again. She had remained rooted at the door and he read the anxiety in her eyes. He knew that she didn't fear him, only the lack of control that she had over this situation. His stance relaxed slightly.

"So this," he waved an arm, indicating the stark, white room. "This is where you'd rather be. You'd rather eat here than with me. You'd rather sleep here than with me!" He punctuated his last statement by kicking the cot vehemently.

Leia jumped as the cot flipped and clattered noisily to the floor. She had been silent since he called her on her patronizing tone, choosing instead to allow him to vent the anger she had sensed within him upon arrival. She hadn't expected him to do anything more than yell and she felt indignation rise within her in response to his actions. She quelled it immediately as she met his eyes and glimpsed the pain in his hazel depths.

"Am I so terrible that this cold room is better?"

His voice cracked with emotion as he asked her the question; a question that she didn't dare answer. She couldn't tell him the feelings that were swirling like a maelstrom inside her. She couldn't tell him how truly cold this room was to her. He was leaving and no matter what she said, this room was where she would have to stay.

"I heard you talking to Chewie the other day." Her voice was soft when she finally spoke, but betrayed none of the emotion within her. "I know you're planning to leave. I guess I'm just preparing for the inevitable."

Han searched her eyes for a hint of emotion, for some indication of how she felt about him leaving. He hadn't fully made the decision to go, but if she was already closing him out of her life, he didn't have any reason to stay.

_'Ask me to stay.'_

In his mind, he spoke the phrase, but he refused to let his mouth do the same. He continued to search her face as the space between them seemed to grow until the four walls of the room threatened to burst with the effort of containing it. She continued to face him with an unreadable mask.

_'If I asked you to stay, would you?'_

The question came to her mind, unbidden as she waited for Han to refute her earlier declaration. She waited for him to tell her that she had heard incorrectly, that she had somehow missed some vital component to his conversation and that he wasn't leaving. The silence stretched between them until it seemed to take on a presence of its own.

_'I would stay if you asked me to.'_

The thought chased behind his first and he knew it to be true. He wanted to stay; he hadn't really thought that he would leave until this moment. But he knew that he only wanted to stay because of her and he refused to stay if she didn't want him.

_'Don't go.'_

These two words repeated relentlessly in her mind, demanding to be spoken. She fought to keep her feelings from her face, searching his for some indication that he still wanted to be with her. All she found was cold indifference. Cold indifference and something more, but nothing to encourage her to make that leap. Nothing that made her believe that he would stay for her.

_'If I tell him about the baby, he'll have no choice but to stay.'_

This next thought was unwelcome and she dismissed it immediately, even if it might hold some measure of truth. She didn't want him to go, but she didn't want to make him stay. She wanted him to stay because he wanted to stay. She wanted him to stay because he wanted to stay with her. She didn't want him to stay for the wrong reasons. She would rather let him go.

_'You don't have to ask, Leia, but I have to know that you want me to stay. Just show me that you want me here and that's enough for now.'_

Han continued to search her eyes for the answer to his thoughts. He couldn't believe that his confrontation had brought them to this point. He had come here thinking that she had grown uncomfortable with some aspect of their relationship only to be faced with the demise of their relationship completely. He hadn't been prepared for this; he didn't want this. He stood frozen, unable to leave, knowing that when he did, he would be unable to return.

"Mistress Leia, Mistress Leia!" C-3PO's urgent calling preceded him as he barged through the small door, shattering the silence between them. Completely oblivious to the tension between the couple, he continued: "You told me to find you the minute General Rieekan was free. He is waiting for you in his office."

"I have to go," Leia stated after a brief hesitation. Her eyes apologized, showing the first hint of emotion he had seen since he had upended her bed.

"Yeah, well. You do what you gotta do. Don't worry about me. I'll see myself out." He brushed her shoulder on the way to the door. "Why not? I had to see myself in," he muttered as he left.

A week passed and Han, still at Echo Base, returned to his repairs after a bland lunch in the cafeteria. A week that would have put many parsecs between him and the rebellion - and its shrewish leader - had he any say in the matter. He didn't; outgoing flights had been strictly prohibited and Han respected the general too much to blatantly disregard his orders. So he stayed and passed the time struggling to repair the numerous injuries that had been sustained by his ship on their last run.

After a few hours and one rather vigorous battle with an external coolant hose, he decided to call an end to the day. Chewie had completed his repairs nearly an hour earlier and, choosing the raucous company of the rogue squadron over the temperamental company of his partner, had left to search out his evening's entertainment. Wiping his hands vainly with a filthy rag, Han already knew that he would be wasting much of his water supply on a hard-earned, freshwater shower. So focused was he on this luxury that he nearly dropped his dirty shirt on the sleeping occupant of his bed. He paused briefly, admiring her beauty in her sleep, before continuing to the refresher and leaving her undisturbed.

He emerged from his shower to find her still sleeping. Opting to allow her to continue her sleep, he headed to the galley to prepare them some dinner. He turned on some music to accompany his preparations and he hummed quietly with the tranquil sounds. Leia's presence on his ship had offered him the excuse he needed to stay. He knew that she was too proud to ask him to stay; they were the same in that regard. But she had been humble enough to take the first step and had come to him. It warmed his heart to think of what it had cost her to make that first move. He knew that after everything they had been through, he couldn't have done the same.

Dinner almost ready and surprised that she hadn't awoken sooner, Han returned to his cabin to wake its sleeping inhabitant. She looked so youthful in her sleep and he was reminded of how young she truly was. It was easy to forget the years that separated them and he berated himself for allowing that transgression to happen so frequently. Seating himself on the edge of the bed, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, waking her gently.

"Hey," he said simply when she stirred. "I wasn't going to wake you, but I thought you might have come here for more than a nap."

She sat up, her face blushing as the realization that she had been found sleeping penetrated her drowsy mind. Taking pity on her newly-awakened state, Han rescued her from having to initiate the conversation that must have brought her to him.

"Come on, I made us some dinner." He held out a hand and she took it gingerly. He squeezed her tiny hand with his reassuringly, helping her out of bed and leading her to the table.

They ate in silence - actually Han ate; Leia seemed to just move the food around on her plate. He began the meal smiling, happy that she had come to him and amused at her mussed state as she sat across from him. His smile faded as the meal progressed, leaving him waiting for her to speak, to eat, to do something other than what she was currently doing. He waited for her to give him some sign that she was happy to be back in his company - to give him some indication that she had missed him during their separation nearly as much as he had missed her. He waited for her to show him some of the regret that he felt over the argument that had threatened to end their relationship. When he finally spoke, his tone held none of the softness of his earlier words.

"You know, if you actually ate something, I might be fooled into thinking that the only reason you're here is because you missed my cooking. But since you're not, I can't say that I have any idea why you're here at all."

She met his gaze for the first time that evening and held it silently, seeming to digest his comment. He waited impatiently for her to speak and thought for a moment that she might not say anything at all as she returned her focus to the plate of food in front of her.

"I know you're going to be upset when I tell you that I wasn't going to tell you."

Han was confused by this statement, but remained silent, allowing her to continue. He hoped that when she did, he would be able to make some sense out of what she was trying to say.

"I wasn't going to tell you, but then I realized that I had to, because I might not ever see you again after you left and that this was my only chance. And I knew that if the situation were reversed - not that it could be - but if it were and I were in your place, I would want to know."

He recognized that she was stalling which was very uncharacteristic of her. She was usually a very direct person. The silence stretched and he watched her continue to play with her food, getting the distinct impression that he wasn't going to be happy with what she had to say next. He took a drink from his water and tried to brace himself for whatever it was that she might have in store for him.

"I'm…" she took a deep breath and he fought the urge to scream at her to get on with it. "You're going to be a father, Han. I'm pregnant."

The gears in his mind clicked slowly as he processed her revelation. She had stolen a quick glance at him after her pronouncement, but her eyes were now refocused on her plate. Had she waited a little longer, she would have seen the slow smile that spread across his features.

"Wow," came his ingenious reply. His mind was racing so fast that it didn't have time to formulate a more articulate answer. He was going to have a baby with Leia. He was going to be a father. The crushing responsibility should have terrified him, but he found he was excited instead. He wanted to jump up and hug her and spin her around in circles until they both grew too dizzy to stand.

His brain managed to catch up to the situation then. He looked at the woman seated across from him; she didn't seem to be experiencing any of the feelings that were flowing through him. Her shoulders were slumped. Her head hung low. She projected an aire of total unhappiness.

_'She doesn't want this baby,'_ he concluded. _'She doesn't want my baby. Who can blame her? Princesses don't have babies with guys like me.'_

"Are you planning to…" he couldn't make himself speak the words aloud. "you know?"

She raised her head then, quickly. "I could never do that," she answered vehemently. "I mean, I was raised to believe… why would you think that I would ever do something like that?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "You don't seem very happy."

"Well, I… I'm just getting used to the idea myself. And there's so much to get used to. We are in the middle of a war, you know."

He reached across the table and clasped her hand in his. "I know. But we can't really change that, can we?"

She shook her head in answer. He was surprised that she continued to let him hold her hand and he stroked the back of it with his thumb.

"There are a few details that we need to sort out." She raised an eyebrow in response and he continued: "A good start would be telling me how pregnant you are."

"Ten standard weeks."

"Ten weeks?" _'Ten weeks!'_ he thought. _'How can she already be ten weeks and I'm just finding out now?' _"Exactly how long have you known?" he asked her aloud.

"Not that long really. I didn't realize when I should have. That is, I've been preoccupied lately and it wasn't until the night you came home that I realized that I had missed my cycle. I confirmed it a few days later in the clinic."

"Wait a second." Han released her hand and stood. Pacing, he continued, his volume increasing concurrently with his anger: "You knew when I came home and you're just telling me now."

"I didn't know until that night. I couldn't sleep and while I was laying there, thinking about how much I had missed sleeping next to you, I realized that I had been sleeping next to you every night since the first night and that first night had been nearly three months ago. It just clicked at that moment."

"So you left in the middle of the night instead of telling me. You know, Leia, that's not how a relationship works."

"Oh really and you know this because you're such an expert at relationships." Leia rose, matching him in both posture and tone. "You were going to leave, probably for good and you're telling me that I don't know how to be in a relationship because I need a little time to work things out on my own before I talk to you about them."

"I hadn't fully decided that I was going to leave. I just know that I have to pay Jabba soon or…" he stopped midsentence, his mind catching up to his mouth. "You were going to let me leave and not tell me, weren't you?"

She crossed her arms in answer and the action seemed more defensive than angry.

"I can't believe this! You were going to let me go and you weren't going to tell me about the baby. I've known some cold people, Leia, but this is beyond most of them."

Tears shimmered in her eyes at his anger. "Han."

He continued relentlessly. "I'll admit, I'd have had my hands full with Jabba, but what if I made it away cleanly, only to come back here and find that that rebellion had packed up and moved to another base? What then?"

She didn't answer, tears continued to fall in answer to his onslaught. She hugged her crossed arms to her body more tightly.

"Oh well, I guess I just would've never known that I had a kid. And that would be okay with you. Hells, you probably would've preferred it that way. Probably better for the kid to not have a father than a father like me, right?"

"Han, please…"

He cut off her words, his anger so consuming that he couldn't stop his tirade. "I get the picture now, Leia. I see exactly how I fit in your life. You don't even care enough to give me the common decency of letting me know that I was going to be a father. You were more than happy to send me on my way - none the wiser."

"No. That's not how it would have happened."

"It's not? Well, please enlighten me because I could swear that we had a conversation about me leaving and you didn't say anything about a baby. You did know then, right?"

She nodded her head wordlessly.

"So you knew and you knew that I was leaving and you still didn't tell me. I was standing there waiting for you to tell me that you actually wanted to be with me. Hoping that it wasn't over between us because if it was, there was no reason for me to stay. I can't believe I was so wrong. You wanted me to go."

"That's not true," her voice wavered in her tears. "I wanted you to stay, but I wanted you to stay for me."

Her last statement finally ended his attack. He took a deep breath and tried to tamp down the demons within - it was rare for him to get so upset. Leia stood across from him, her arms hugged around her waist protectively. Tears streamed steadily down her blotchy cheeks and he immediately regretted his harsh words. She had hurt him and now he had hurt her equally in return. And just earlier that night he had been touting his maturity.

Finding some measure of calm, he tried to analyze her actions and her words. In that moment of clarity, her last words repeated in his mind: 'I wanted you to stay, but I wanted you to stay for me.' They were fighting because of the games they were playing and, he acknowledged, she wasn't the only one playing games. He had let her believe that he really was planning to leave and he knew that he had done so because he had wanted her to ask him to stay. And she hadn't asked him because she had wanted him to stay without her asking.

In two quick strides, he closed the space between them.

"I don't want to fight anymore."

He pulled her against him, wrapping her tiny form in his embrace. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and she buried her face in his chest. It was several moments before she finally moved her arms from their defensive position around her middle and returned his embrace. Soft music continued to play from the Falcon's sound system and the keening of a woman's voice seemed to flow around them, soothing them with her misery. They stood holding each other for the remainder of that song and the next song that followed. Finally, he turned her tear-stained face up to his. Their eyes met, speaking the words that they couldn't make their lips speak. He smiled slightly and, turning her so her back faced his chest, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and led her to his cabin.

_A/N: As mentioned before, I still have a few things planned for our favourite pair. It's a holiday weekend for us Canadians, so hopefully I will get some more writing done with the extra time. No promises though. It is playoff season as well:) Go Tigers!_

_Oh, yeah, I almost forgot… please review. Scarlet._


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Let me start by apologizing in advance for the shortness of this update. I should have the next chapter (part 10!) posted soon. I have most of it already written and had planned on posting it all as one part, but it didn't flow very well from the end of this chapter into the next. So rather than agonize and analyze how to rework it, I cheated and decided to put in a chapter break._

_Also, a little reminder that I haven't changed the rating on this story since my first update. This chapter is one of the reasons why. And George, please don't sue me. I know I've taken your characters to places they never would have gone with you, but they're still yours. I'm just borrowing them for a little while._

_And thanks to everyone whose taken some time out of their day to send me a note to keep me going._

**Unexpected Detours, part 9**

Several weeks passed after Leia's revelation and the pair hadn't yet told anyone of the upcoming change to their dynamic. Han had struggled with his conscience, but yielded to Leia's wishes and had agreed to keep their news from everyone, including Chewie. He still thought that she was being unreasonable. After all, they wouldn't be able to keep their secret for much longer and then, there would be those, like Chewie and Luke, that would be hurt because they hadn't been told sooner. But he enjoyed their current truce more than he worried about the impending disappointment of their friends, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

The threat of a traitor amongst them had eased somewhat and the ban on outgoing flights had been lifted. When the news had been delivered by the general that Han had been cleared to leave, he thanked him and told him that he had changed his mind. The general, in turn, continued to increase the responsibilities that he doled out to the pair of smugglers who were quickly becoming rebels.

Existent or non-existent traitorous threats soon were upstaged by the imminent decline of a budgetary surplus for their small faction of the rebellion. Leia frequently worked late into the night, coaxing funds and supplies out of the few contacts that the group had deemed trustworthy. Unfortunately, the list of their trustworthy allies was diminishing as quickly as were their supplies. The problem had become so prominent that Leia had taken to spending most evenings at her desk in the command centre, pouring over reports and supply lists in an effort to find a solution.

Han, for his part, had taken to delivering her dinner on those nights and was working his way over to the command centre, a covered plate in his hand. His own supply of foodstuffs was quickly dwindling as well, but his ability to season even the simplest of dishes still managed to draw a few longing glances as he made his way to Leia's 'office'. She didn't have an office so much as a corner of the command centre, a corner that offered little storage and less privacy.

"Han, I've told you before that you don't have to bring me dinner." Her voice was lowered when she spoke to him and he knew that she disliked the attention that this new ritual drew.

"If I don't bring you something to eat, then you usually forget to eat," he countered. Lowering his voice to slightly more than a whisper, he added: "And, in your condition, you can't afford not to eat."

"I know, but I've just got so much work to do."

He cleared enough of her work area to create room for the plate and placed it before her, uncovering it and replacing the data pad she held with a fork. "You can't think clearly on an empty stomach. So why don't you take a short break and you'll probably get more work done after you've finished."

"You know," she answered around a mouthful of food, "that people are talking about us. You can't keep doing this."

"Well, maybe it's not such a bad thing. Then they won't have to guess who's responsible when they figure out that you're pregnant."

She smirked in response and continued to eat. Satisfied that he had made a point, he scanned the data pad that she had been working on when he had first arrived. He winced visibly when he read the columns that totalled the credits currently at their disposal. Something would have to be done soon or the Imperials wouldn't have to worry about the rebellion any longer. They will have frozen to death or starved to death long before Vader found them. He and Chewie had stopped accepting funds for any work they performed, but that really didn't have much of an impact. It was one less expense, but what the rebellion really needed was an income.

"I know," Leia answered his silent expression. "But I might have found something. I'm going to meet with the general in the morning once I've sorted out all the details."

"Oh yeah? What d'ya find?"

"I can't really go over it all now. I've still got a few details to sort out and then I want to discuss the possibility with Rieekan. I'll tell you all about it then."

After she had finished eating, Han left and returned to the Falcon. He tried not to let it bother him that she had dismissed his inquiry so easily. She had been very busy and if she had found something to alleviate the current situation, the rebels needed her to devote as much time and energy necessary to see that plan to fruition. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was very difficult to ignore though and he spent most of the night tossing and turning, finally admitting defeat and climbing quietly from their bed so as to not disturb her slumber. He left the Falcon and strolled out into the hanger, searching for a peaceful place where he could be alone with his thoughts.

_'I miss going outside, too,'_ he thought. On a night like this, there was nothing better than a walk in the crisp night air to clear your mind and sort through your thoughts. 'Crisp' wasn't exactly the word that he would use to describe the night air on Hoth. Bitter, icy, freezing, deadly - all of those words would easily describe an evening stroll on Hoth and neither of those were what he was seeking as he wandered through the base.

In a few standard months, his whole life was going to change and he wasn't the least bit prepared for it. Neither of them were and he would wager that Leia was even less prepared than him. After the night that she had told him that he was going to be a father, they had discussed the baby very little. She spent every night on the Falcon, but maintained her quarters on the base. And she hadn't taken well to his suggestion that, since she was in charge of supplies, she should work on requisitioning something for their baby to sleep in. Knowing now how dire the rebellion's financial position was at the time of his comment, he understood a little better her reaction to his comment. That knowledge didn't change their reality though and their reality was a tiny baby that was going to make an entrance in their lives in a short time.

_'Well, maybe this plan that Leia seems to have come up with will pan out. Then we both can devote a little more time and energy to our own lives.'_

His meandering thoughts had led him on a circuitous path and he found himself back at the Falcon. He headed up the ramp, feeling better and more settled even though he hadn't settled anything. She sat up as he opened the door to their cabin and he immediately regretted his disruption of her sleep.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you, so I went for a walk." He closed the door behind him and stood at the entrance, allowing his eyes time to adjust to the dark.

"It's okay. I'm having a hard time sleeping, too."

He stripped down to his underwear, tossing his clothes in a pile at his feet. "Can't sleep, huh? Maybe I can help you with that."

She smiled as he removed his boxers and slid beneath the sheets beside her. He left a trail of kisses up her leg, pausing to bestow several kisses on her slightly rounded abdomen. She had taken to sleeping in an old shirt of his and he quickly removed it as well. He ran his hand down her back, pulling it around to cup her recently enlarged breast, admiring the changes in her body and loving that they were only evident to him.

Their lips met and tongues danced and he shifted to allow her to straddle him. He sat up so her chest pressed against his and his arms were wrapped firmly around her back. She moaned as he trailed kisses along her jaw line and down the curve of her neck to nip at her collarbone. She tilted her head and arched back against his arms, granting him further access as he kissed a path from her collarbone to an eager nipple. Alternating between laving and nipping at it, he quickly had her squirming against his hard shaft. Shifting his attention to her other breast, he groaned deeply as she ground her slick folds against him.

"Leia," he rasped, "much as I love what you're doing, you're gonna wish you hadn't very soon."

"Really," she purred and reached a hand down to stroke his manhood.

Groaning, almost growling, he sucked fiercely on her nipple and used his arms to pull her back upright. Releasing her breast, he collapsed against the pillow and grasped her hips with his hands, lifting her until he felt the head of his penis poised at her wet core. She sank down on him and he nearly came as he felt her tight walls pull in his shaft. She rocked slowly against him and he found some measure of control. Control that threatened to disappear the moment he opened his eyes and took in the woman above him. Her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed with desire. Her breasts moved with her rocking and her long hair flowed down her back and danced against his thighs. He hurried her then, lifting her up and down with more speed and more force until he slammed within her steadily. As she caught his rhythm and her breaths became less steady, he reached between them and danced his fingers in her folds until she came. She slowed with her orgasm, but her grabbed her hips again, lifting her and driving her until she finally rode him through his own ecstasy.

She collapsed against him and he held her as the scent of their lovemaking mingled with their sweat. He had driven all of his worries from his mind and could barely find the energy to pull the covers over them. _'Maybe I don't need to go outside after all,'_ he thought and then followed Leia into dreamless sleep.

_A/N: A little fluff and a little… ahem… to hold you over for the time being. I should have the next chapter posted soon. In the meantime, please read and review. Scarlet._


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: As promised, here is the latest instalment in the journey of our favourite couple. Sorry that the last one was so short. I hope this makes up for it. I seem to be getting fewer and fewer reviews with each post. I'm not sure if that's an indication of a decline in my writing or a decline in interest, maybe a bit of both, I guess. But I'm committed to see this through to its end. So, to those of you who have hung around this long, don't worry, I won't let this fall to the wayside. Send any money to George, because he owns everything. I'm just borrowing. Scarlet._

**Unexpected Detours, part 10**

"What's this about you going on a mission?"

Han's voice carried down the hallway and she stopped and turned, waiting for him to close the distance between them. She had been headed to her quarters to pick up a few more items of clothing and then had planned to meet Han on the Falcon in time for dinner. She had wanted to tell him in private about her mission, but he had apparently found out on his own.

"Han, I was just coming to talk to you about it."

"Oh really? Last time I checked the hanger was in the other direction."

She threw up her hands as an expression of the irritation that his sarcasm stirred within her. "Don't worry, I wasn't going to leave without telling you. That act is all yours."

"You know what? I've had about enough of that line. You misheard half a conversation between me and Chewie and now every time I turn around you accuse me of leaving." His fists were clenched in both anger and frustration and she instantly regretted her remark. "What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm not going anywhere? I took a damn job for a short hop to Alderaan almost two" he held up two fingers in her face in emphasis "years ago and I'm still here. I'm here for you and your damned rebellion and haven't even so much as gone to pay off my debts, but every time I turn around its: 'you're leaving'. What do I have to do to make you believe that I'm here to stay?"

"That's a start," she answered quietly, placing her hand against his chest as a peace offering. "Please Han, let's go to my room to talk." When he seemed about to object, she continued: "I don't want to broadcast this information to everyone on base. We are trying to put a limit on how many people know about things like this."

"You mean people like me, right?"

They had reached her door and she stretched up to place a chaste kiss on his jaw line before opening the door and proceeding through. "No, Han, that's not what I meant. I was going to talk to you about this - I would never leave on a mission without letting you know about it first."

"You mean, without me. You wouldn't leave on a mission without me." His tone suggested that his words were a statement of fact and that he wouldn't allow for any argument in this area.

"Actually…" she hesitated, about to argue with him about something that he seemed so adament about. And she was tired of arguing. "Luke is going to fly me to Ord Mantell. It's a pretty simple plan and all we have to do is stay under the radar and there shouldn't be any problems. You and Chewie don't seem to stay under the radar very well."

"Yeah, well, I know about Luke. He's the one who told me all about it. He was hoping to use the Falcon instead of the lighter you're supposed to take. And I don't like it. It's too simple. When something seems this easy it usually means that it's not. You're not going."

"What!" His calm pronouncement infuriated her. That and the manner in which he so easily dictated her actions. Not to mention the fact that he believed that she would listen to his dictates. "So it's that simple. You've decided that I'm not going so now I'm not going to go. What makes you think that you can tell me what I do and don't do?"

"Leia," he held his hands up in an effort to calm her anger. "You're pregnant. You can't just go running around on some half-baked scheme whenever the rebellion needs you. Hells, they don't even know that they're asking a pregnant woman to pull this off."

Leia chose to ignore his implication that her plan was 'half-baked' and addressed instead his true concern. "Han, you have to know that I wouldn't take this lightly. I have to go…" she held up a hand warding off his argument. "Let me explain and you'll understand why I have no choice."

She waited and he seemed prepared to hear her out. Whether he would actually listen to what she had to say was another matter completely. She did know, however, that this discussion was precisely why she had avoided the topic with Han the previous night.

"It's a bit convoluted, but I'll try to keep it short by giving you the basics, okay?" He nodded his consent for her to continue. "My family used to own an interstellar shipping company that was fairly successful - HSR Express, you might have heard of it. Anyway, it has been a part of the Organa estate for many generations with family members comprising the majority of the board. Unfortunately, we were a little too good at what we did and the Empire drew an interest in the company and seized it and its profits from my father a few years ago.

"That wouldn't be very relevant if I hadn't discovered that HSR is scheduled to make a tribute to the Empire… a significant monetary tribute. There are still some private individuals with an interest in the company, so rather than anger these parties, the Empire has decided to take advantage of the less-than-stringent banking policies of Ord Mantell to filter these funds."

"Okay, Leia, I can see how this involves to you, but I still don't see how this is going to help the rebellion and why you need to go."

"For starters, the Empire was very urgent in wresting the ownership of HSR from the Organa family, but didn't follow through to ascertain that they had removed all family members from the list of signing officers with the numerous banking corporations scattered throughout the galaxy. The Ord Mantell bank industry still recognizes me as an officer of the company.

"Secondly, because the board members who authorized this transaction want to keep it out of the public eye, they've arranged to drop the credits and leave them there for a period of time before transferring them to the appropriate Empire accounts. The funds will be there in the next couple of days and all I have to do is walk in to the bank and take them out."

"I still don't like it. There's too many things that could go wrong. Tell the general that your pregnant and he'll send someone else."

"I can't, Han," she answered and for the first time allowed some of the despair that she had suffered while making her decision into her voice. She had researched every avenue to determine that she did, in fact, have to be present to access the funds. "The Ord Mantellian Bank uses some interesting banking practices, but still requires thumbprint and ocular identification for any significant withdrawals. There's no one else left in my family so I'm the only one that can go."

"There has to be another way." He argued determinedly. "It's too dangerous. Just forget this plan and find something else." He held a hand up as she opened her mouth to interrupt. "I listened so now you have to listen. Maybe this plan of yours will work, but maybe it won't. We can't take that risk. We have a responsibility to this baby. I know we didn't plan for this, but… the way I see it, this a commitment we make or we don't make."

He grabbed her hands and held them tightly in his. "You and I are going to have a baby. Belief system or no belief system, we made that choice. You can't choose to keep the baby and then risk losing it by going on some crazy mission."

"Han, I understand the risks I'm taking." She was moved by his speech and his commitment to her, but she knew that she couldn't make any other decision in this matter. "I'm taking a risk just being here on Hoth. There aren't any options here. I have to go. I'm the only one who can pull this off and we need the money. I'll be more at risk if we run out of fuel for the generators and this base starts to freeze."

He turned away from her and walked to the door and she knew that he couldn't face her and accept her decision, but his posture told her that he wouldn't argue about it any further. She thought he was about to leave when he turned to face her. "I'm going with you."

"I…" she didn't know what she was going to say next, but it didn't matter as he held up a hand, bringing an end to her reply.

"That's the deal. You're going. Luke's going. And I'm going with you. It's my baby that your taking into one of the busiest trade ports in the Rim and I won't let you go without me. So you can either fly with me on the Falcon or meet me when you get there, but either way, I'll be there."

She smiled and inclined her head in acceptance. She would worry about how she would manage to keep him in the background long enough to complete her task later. For the time being, she would just allow herself to enjoy the warm feeling that his display of macho possessiveness aroused within her. Although she was loathe to admit it to anyone else - nor did she have anyone else to admit it to - she enjoyed having Han take care of her. She liked the way he made her feel when he did all the little things that he did for her everyday. It was something that had taken her completely by surprise, having spent so much of her life proving that she could do everything herself.

He turned back to the door, pausing one last time before walking through it. "Tonight's our last dinner on the Falcon. I'm left with rations after this, but I had enough to invite Luke to join us. I think we should tell him."

She watched his broad shoulders pass through the opening and knew that he still wasn't happy about her going on this mission. To be completely honest, she wasn't happy about it either. She rested a hand on her rounded abdomen and caressed it lovingly. She had almost destroyed the data that had led her to this very moment; something deep inside telling her that she wouldn't like what it uncovered. But she truly had no choice in the matter. She couldn't let the rebellion fall to something as mundane as lack of funding and she couldn't put her life or the life of her unborn child ahead of the lives of all of the men and women on base. So she had pursued the lead in spite of her fears of where it would take her.

A slight stirring beneath her fingers drew her attention then and she smiled, pressing her hand more firmly against the motion. She had been feeling the baby move within her over the past few days, but this was the first time that she could feel the movement with her hand. _'Han will love this,'_ she thought and began gathering her things so she could share the event with him. She also hoped that they could spend a little time together before Luke and Chewie arrived for dinner.

As her thoughts strayed to dinner, she recalled his parting comment. He wanted to tell Luke. She was sure he had meant Chewie as well. Their news wouldn't be as surprising to him as it would be to Luke though, and she wasn't sure that she was ready for him to know. She also knew that Han wanted Luke to know so that he would fully understand what was at stake on their mission, and so that he would take extra care in protecting her.

Something inside her had told her to have Luke escort her on this mission. She had learned many years ago to trust her instincts, especially when she could support them with logic. She had known that Han wouldn't be happy with the arrangement, but she just couldn't imagine him being objective enough to provide her with the necessary support. _'If we tell Luke, will he still be able to let me do what needs to be done without interfering?'_ She didn't know the answer to her unspoken question, but knew that she would yield to Han just the same.

When she arrived at the Falcon, she found him in the midst of the chaos he referred to as dinner preparation. She kissed him quickly as she passed through the galley, dropping her things in his cabin. Returning, he motioned to the pile of vegetables on the table.

"You can help by chopping those up." He had learned quite awhile ago to limit her assistance to things that didn't require too much skill. "I'm running a little behind," he added, turning back to the stove.

"Wait, Han, I felt the baby moving today," she spoke and as if on cue, she felt the baby moving vigorously inside her.

"That's great, but I thought you've been feeling him for a few days now."

"No. I felt," she emphasized the word and pulled his hand to her belly, "him." She pressed his hand firmly against the movement and watched the smile light his face. The wonder and love in his eyes brought tears to hers and she brushed at them impatiently. Han brought his other hand to her abdomen as the movement stopped.

"I lost it," he said after a few moments.

"Actually, you didn't. He just stopped."

"'He', huh?" he raised an questioning eyebrow, his hands still spanning her stomach patiently.

She smiled at him and shrugged in answer. "I'm just guessing. Today he feels like a 'him'. Tomorrow, I might think that he feels like a 'her'."

"Don't confuse the kid, Leia, his life is going to be tough enough."

Han moved behind her, his hands breaking contact with her body for barely an instant. He stood with his arms around her, his hands resting again against her abdomen, embracing both her and their child at the same time. She leaned back and took the support that he offered.

"You know," she broke the silence after a moment, "if I call him a 'he' and he ends up being a 'her', than she's going to be confused, too."

"Naw, she'll just grow up to be a tomboy - shootin' blasters and flyin' ships - kinda like her mom."

Leia laughed, taking his comment for the praise that it was meant to be, but elbowed him playfully in the ribs at the same time. "I think he's tired," she added after a while. "Or hungry."

"Is that a hint, princess?"

"Well, you did say that this is our last good meal - at least until Ord Mantell. I'd hate to see you burn it."

The pair separated reluctantly and moved to their respective work stations. They worked in a companionable silence, each keeping their thoughts to themselves. Leia watched Han's back as he worked, her brief bit of kitchen duty completed. She was trying to determine the best way to tell Luke about them and the baby. She was about to ask Han for his opinion when she heard footfalls on the ramp. Luke's lean form appeared shortly after the sound.

"Leia," he smiled in greeting. "Han mentioned that you might be joining us. We can go over any last minute details for the mission over dinner."

Leia couldn't help but smile at the youthful exuberance that he still exuded. He had tamed it over the past year or so as he had moved up the ranks in the rebellion, but it still managed to rear its head from time to time.

"We're not talking about the mission over dinner," Han interjected. "It'll give me indigestion."

"Alright," Luke answered and made a face after Han turned his back, causing Leia to laugh out loud at his antics. "But since we're not eating now, there's a few things I'd like to confirm with Leia, if that's alright with your stomach."

"You know what, kid," Tossing a spoon loudly into the sink, Han turned to Luke. Leia watched as the anger drained from his features as he seemed to remember that Luke didn't know the real reason why he'd rather not talk about the mission. Seeming to gather himself, he continued: "Actually, I'm glad you're here early. There's something we have to tell you."

Leia felt a moment of panic as she realized that Han was about to tell Luke everything and she hadn't yet decided how she wanted to go about it. She met his eyes and realized that he was waiting for her to continue. He had opened the door, but he was letting her walk through it.

She turned her gaze back to Luke. "You see, Han and I… well, we are…" she faltered.

"I know, Leia, but thank you for finally telling me."

"You know?" She had been relieved that she hadn't had to put a name on their relationship. She wasn't sure that she could, but she was surprised at the same time that he had known and had played along.

"Of course I know. You two are my closest friends. How could I not know?" As if sensing that she needed further reassurance, he added: "Hey, c'mon. I know I'm young and I might have grown up on a backwards planet in the middle of nowhere, but I'm not that niave."

"Right. Well, there's more," Han prompted and Leia felt two pairs of eyes focusing on her.

"Right. You see… I'm…" she rose and stood beside Han, who placed a supportive hand at the small of her back. "I mean, we… we're having a baby."

"What?" Luke repeated her shocked response from earlier. She smoothed the loose shirt she was wearing, displaying the evidence more clearly. "Huh. I didn't have that figured out. Well, shouldn't you be resting or something… I mean should you be standing or…"

"Going on a mission," Han interrupted grimly.

Leia watched as the young man processed all the information, understanding coming quickly to his features. "Han," she spoke in a tired voice, "we already discussed this - I have to go."

"You're coming, too. Aren't you, Han?" Luke had phrased it as a question, but she knew that he had meant it as a statement. That he not only understood why Han was coming, but that he agreed with his decision as well.

Leia left Han's side and moved back to her seat at the table. "Listen boys, I don't want to have to deal with the two of you acting all macho and interfering with my ability to complete this simple task." Before either of them could argue with her, she continued: "And it is simple. So can one of you find Chewie so we can eat? We've got a lot of things to do tomorrow if we're still heading out the morning after and I'd like to get a good night's sleep."

Luke seemed surprised by her display, but Han waved it off. "Hormones," he whispered over loudly to his friend, laughing as she tossed a napkin at him in reaction. "Why don't you tell Chewie to hurry before it's all gone. He was working on a Y-wing in Bay 5."

Chewie appeared almost immediately after Luke had left, having already begun to make his way back to the Falcon. As he moved to slid in next to Luke, Han stopped him.

"Listen, buddy," Han answered his questioning growl. "I don't you to be left out. We just told Luke and now it's your turn… Leia and me are having a baby. Now, you can… mmmph."

Han's speech was cut off as Chewie hugged him and picked him up off the ground. Leia couldn't help but laugh as Chewie roared enthusiastically and Han sputtered, trying to keep the fur out of his mouth. Her laughs were quickly cut off as she found herself replacing Han in Chewie's arms. He was too excited for her to understand his words, but his meaning was clear: he was happy for them. For that evening, she decided to follow his example and allowed herself to be happy, too.

Two days later, the Falcon took to the sky as the sun edged above the horizon at Echo Base. On board, she held as unlikely a group as ever. An innocent farm boy who wasn't so innocent any longer. A hardened smuggler who couldn't be truly considered as hardened any longer. A fierce wookie who was anything but fierce amongst those he loved. And a princess who wasn't truly a princess, but she was a woman and a mother, or at least she was going to be. As Leia reflected on the composition of their troop, she realized that as unlikely as they seemed to some, they were exactly what the rebellion represented. A group of unlikely heroes on a quest to make a difference. She smiled as that last thought passed through her mind - it was usually groups just like theirs that did make a difference. And for the first time since she had uncovered the data that had led to this mission, she felt good about it.

_A/N: Okay, so I really hesitated using the words "Ord Mantell"; it's too much, too infamous. But I always was going to have them go there and rather than have it be another Unexpected Detour, I decided to go ahead and make it part of the plan. And if the story about the bank and funds transfer seems remotely familiar, I think it was used in one of Brian Daley's books. I read them ages ago and the idea had its merits, so I decided to borrow it, too. Don't worry, I'm fairly certain that the remainder of the story isn't going to follow anything else out there._

_Thanks for sticking around and please read and review. And, of course, Go Tigers!_

_Scarlet._


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: So I have to immediately begin by apologizing for the whiney tone of my last note. As I've now re-read it, I'm embarrassed at its blatant begging for reviews and whining about the lack of them. For everyone who has come along this far and reviewed (and done so without coercion), thank you for all your support. And also, for those of you who have read and not reviewed (being too busy or feeling that you don't have anything to say), I thank you as well._

_On another note, I think that this story might be leading more into the drama and away from the smut. Of course, I could be wrong since occasionally, a story develops a mind of its own and things do change. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter and I will never stop asking (politely) for you to read and review. Oh yeah, I almost forgot… it's all George's - so he gets all the blame (uh, I mean, credit). Scarlet_

**Unexpected Detours, part 11**

Leia and Luke joined the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit as they navigated their way through the planet's atmosphere. Leia allowed herself the time to survey the scenery and admire the pink clouds that they danced through as they made their way to the planet. They had arrived at sunset, slightly ahead of schedule, and the clouds seemed to glow with the sun's fading rays. The spectacle faded quickly as they traversed the planetside and headed to the southern shore of the main continent. Here, the combination of approaching nightfall and city lights drove the pink sky to near-extinction. She sat back in the navigator's chair as the scenery diminished and waited for Han to pilot them to their hotel.

She had contacted the hotel and made a last minute arrangement to replace the simple room she had booked with a deluxe suite. This venture was already stretching the purse strings of the rebellion and the additional members hadn't helped in that regard, but the expense had been necessary. She barely had enough credits to cover the bill for their new rooms and had to hope that she was successful at securing the funds that had brought them here or they might have trouble covering any of their other expenses. _'At least Han probably has some extra credits at his disposal,'_ she thought, not wanting to think too much about the situation that would dictate the need of those credits.

They checked into their rooms without incident and Leia allowed herself the time to admire the luxury offered by the Pink Sky Casino. She wouldn't be honest with herself if she didn't admit that there were times when she longed for the luxury of her old life and she planned to take advantage of this opportunity to experience some of that lost opulence.

"Nice digs," Han commented from behind her, carrying the small case that held their clothing and personal items. "Which room is ours?"

She blushed at the implication, still unused to the idea that their relationship was common knowledge amongst their party. She indicated a door to her left. "I think the master suite is over there," she added aloud, heading to the large transparisteel window that dominated the living area of the suite. The pink sky had faded to darkness, but the view was breathtaking all the same as she looked out upon the thriving resort community below them.

Han moved behind her and dimmed the glass until the view faded completely. "We don't want to give them too much of a show," he offered in answer to her sigh.

"Okay, why don't I order us up some food and then, Chewie and me'll head downstairs to check things out," Han suggested to the group in general.

"Han," Leia answered, "I don't think that's such a good idea. The two of you are fairly well-known and if someone spots you and links your presence with the Falcon docked here, they might realize that there is more here than meets the eye."

Chewie growled a response and Han translated automatically: "Chewie says he'll go on his own. He says that most people think that all Wookie's look alike and that no one would guess his identity without me there."

"I'm in for dinner," Luke added, returning to the living area from his room opposite theirs. "But then I'm going to head over to the bank."

"Good idea, Luke, but I'm pretty sure they'll be closed," came Han's answering comment. "Even at a place like this where most places are open all night."

"I'm not expecting them to be open. I just want to check out the area and confirm the route that Leia's going to take."

After dinner, Han and Leia were left alone as Luke and Chewie left to perform their respective tasks. Han had settled on the sofa in the main seating area, searching through the holonet for something to help pass the time. Leia stretched and headed toward the master suite.

"Hey, where are you going?" Han asked as she crossed the room.

"I know that I should be the first one to say that we shouldn't forget that we're on a mission and that we shouldn't let our surroundings tempt us," she answered, "but there is an exquisite bathtub in there that I absolutely cannot ignore."

"You know," he rose and began to follow her. "Now that you mention it, I noticed that tub, too. And, if I'm not mistaken, I believe it was big enough for two."

She smiled, but stopped at the entrance to the master bath, blocking his way. "Nice try, flyboy. But, the only two going into that tub are me and junior," she patted her belly gently.

"Aw, come on, Leia," he pouted. "I promise to play nice."

She laughed and pushed him lightly out of the doorway. "That's what I'm worried about. I don't want to play. I want to immerse myself in hot water and just lie there until I fall asleep. I can't do that with you in there."

He left with a grumbling comment about hormones which she chose to ignore. Within minutes, she was neck deep in heaven, the fragrant oils provided by the hotel filling the air with a soft floral scent, the warm water caressing her skin like silk. The air jets beat a steady percussion against her back and neck and the only thing that she could ask for to make the experience any better was a little soft music to soothe her mind.

She stayed in the tub overlong, noticing the pruning of her fingertips, but couldn't seem to drag herself away from her private retreat. She had almost lulled herself to sleep when a light tapping came at the door; a tapping that seemed more like pounding as it interrupted her peace.

"Leia? Are you awake?" Han's voice carried through the door and she warmed inside as she realized that he wouldn't intrude unless she asked him.

"Come in, Han. I'm just getting ready to get out." She reasoned that she was getting ready in the general sense… she was getting ready to get ready. There were stages to leaving heaven.

Han entered the steamy room and closed the door behind him, keeping the warm air inside. Seating himself on the edge of the tub nearest her feet, he took the time to memorize the vision before him. He now had a new image of Leia burned into his memory; an image of her all flushed from the steamy water, hair caught in a haphazard knot, her silky skin glowing where it peaked through the bubbles. He swallowed and shifted, trying to reign in his thoughts while he still could. _'She was right to keep me out of here. There is no way she'd look this relaxed if I had been with her.'_

"I know," she held up a pruned hand for his inspection. "I've been in here too long. I can't seem to leave. I miss this."

He reached a hand into the warm water and pulled her foot into the cool air. He began to massage it and watched as she closed her eyes and smiled with his ministrations. He traded her left foot for her right and continued silently.

"Alright, Leia," he patted her foot before letting it go and standing up. "Now, you've got to get up. If you stay in there any longer your fingers are going to be so wrinkled that they won't pass the thumbprint scan."

He tried not to laugh at the look of disappointment that crossed her features and held a hand out to assist her out of the tub. Handing her a towel, he watched as she dried herself before wrapping her in the complimentary robe.

"You know, I was thinking," he began.

"That's a scary thought," she quipped.

"Funny," he answered and flashed her a fake smile. "As I was saying, I don't think you should head straight to the bank tomorrow, make the transfer and then head straight back. It'll look suspicious. People don't come to Ord Mantell and go to the bank."

"Nonsense. Of course they do. That's why they have a bank here."

"No, actually, they have a bank here because people come here to spend money. They gamble, they eat, they go to shows, they shop…"

"I get the idea," she interrupted. "So, what's your point? You think I should gamble?"

"No, you'd be terrible at it." He held his hands up defensively as she swatted at him. "Hey, easy, I'm only telling you the truth. Besides, there's no use in gambling. It would just use up a lot of money. I think you should shop."

"Shop," she stated with a slight look of confusion on her face. "And shopping wouldn't be an unnecessary expense?"

"No, it wouldn't," he answered matter-of-factly and pointed at her waist. "Unless you're planning on running around the base nude for the next few months. Not to mention what we're going to dress him in… Oh, I get it," he mockingly slapped a hand against his forehead. "You've secretly always wanted to be a nudist."

"Funny. Funny. Okay, you've made your point. The problem with your plan is that I won't have any credits until I actually get to the bank. And, it'd be a little irresponsible of me to take the rebellion's credits and fritter them away on a shopping spree."

Han wrapped her in a hug and laughed. "You know, sweetheart, I love that you can never back down from an argument, even when you've clearly lost." He kissed her temple. "I have some credits, okay? So don't worry about 'frittering away the rebellion's credits'. Let me buy these things for you and for our baby."

Leia nodded and pushed out his embrace, wiping her eyes as she did so.

"What's the matter?" he asked, confused by her tears.

"Nothing. Hormones," came her answer.

She left the room, leaving him to the steam to contemplate the mysteries of a pregnant woman's emotions. He smiled as he thought about the shopping trip now scheduled for the next day. He would miss helping her select all the various items that they would need; it was too dangerous for him to be at her side and it was easier for him to watch out for her from a distance.

As his thoughts drifted to the next day's plans, Han wondered whether or not to impart Chewie's findings to her. He had returned while she had still been soaking in her bath and Han was thankful that she hadn't been present to hear his news. If she knew that Chewie had been recognized, whether or not it was by a friend from their past, she would argue that he was jeopardizing the mission, as she had forewarned.

He might still have a chance at winning that dispute if he didn't tell her that Badure had taken the opportunity to warn Chewie that Jabba had once again increased the bounty on his and Han's head. If the old man had his information right, the Hutt lord was now willing to pay more than triple the amount that Han owed him. Once wind of that sum spread through the underworld, he and Chewie wouldn't be able to make planet fall safely for quite some time. Thankfully, Badure had assured Chewie that the news of the increased bounty wasn't that widely spread yet and that he wouldn't have known himself if he hadn't just made a stop on Tatooine.

He shook his head, physically clearing the distraction from his mind. He would worry about all of that after they had left Ord Mantell. For now, he had more important things to focus on. The main one being the woman snuggled beneath the bedcovers and seeing her safely off this planet, with or without the funds that she had come to acquire.

Leia paused between shop doors to turn her face up to the early afternoon sun, taking a brief moment to relish the heat of its rays upon her skin. She had followed Han's advice and portrayed herself as a leisurely shopper on a holiday retreat, pausing to window shop at some storefronts, entering others to browse. She knew that it made Han and Luke's task of shadowing her more difficult, but also knew that there was little likelihood of either of them not finding something to keep them amused as they trailed her. For her own part, she had managed a few purchases including some clothes for herself. She had also selected a few basic items for the baby. It barely made a dent in what they would need and really didn't make much of a dent in the credits that Han had pressed into her hand, but she was anxious to move on to the real purpose of their trip.

She spied a jewellery store adjacent to the bank and thought that it would lend even more credence to her cover - a traveller who had been a little too zealous in her shopping and needed to acquire extra funds from one of her accounts. She paused at the window to admire the beautiful creations it held. The shopkeeper, noticing her bags, waved her in and after minimal refusal, she succumbed to the aggressive woman's wishes in the interest of avoiding a scene.

Wandering around the display cases, she had to admire the woman's ability. Without her having given any extra attention to any one item, the woman placed a crystal pendant on a simple chain before her. It was something that, had circumstances been different, she would have selected herself.

"It will look absolutely exquisite on you," she gushed as she manoeuvred to secure the necklace around Leia's neck.

_'It is beautiful.' _ Leia found that she couldn't refute the woman's claim. The chain was so thin that the crystal seemed to float just beneath the juncture of her collarbones. The crystal itself was an ice blue colour, so pale that the tinge of colour was only noticeable under a certain light. She reached behind her neck and unclasped the chain, stifling the urge to gasp as she read the price tag.

"Thank you, ma'am. It is beautiful, but I'm afraid not. I really was just window shopping," she added.

"Don't worry. I understand," she replied while placing the piece back beneath the display case. "I don't believe in buying jewellery for myself either. You just send your man here and I'll make sure he comes home with the right piece. Okay?"

Leia agreed, taking the easy out offered by the older woman and left the shop after taking the woman's card. Entering the bank, she couldn't help but feel pleased at how the afternoon had proceeded so far. With the woman's card in hand, she had a very logical reason to be transferring funds at the bank.

"… just a little something for the remainder of the trip," she informed the teller as the young man accessed HSR's account. Warming to her role, she continued to babble on conversationally. "We transferred the money to this account for this very reason. We so rarely take a vacation. I guess we both knew that we might get a little carried away, what with his love of the Sabbacc tables and my love of shopping."

The man's eyes grew a little rounder as the balance of the account appeared on his screen. "Are you sure you want to transfer it all into your expense account, ma'am?"

"Well, you see," Leia smiled her widely, "I wasn't going to, but I was just next door and…"

"Say no more," he interrupted, clearly having run into this situation a time or two before. "If you'll just place your thumb on the scanner and look into the lens, we'll have your transfer complete."

A whir and a beep and Leia's mission was complete. She left the bank and had to force herself to keep her stride to a casual pace. She was so excited that she wanted to run to Han, if she knew precisely where he was at that moment, and throw her arms around him in celebration. But she couldn't do that - it would draw more than a little unwanted attention. She would continue along the prescribed plan, working her way gradually back to the hotel, remembering that her mission wasn't completed until they took off.

She was almost halfway down the strip when she forced herself to stop and admire a window display, remembering her role. Forcing herself to count to ten before proceeding, she chanced a glance behind her, but failed to see either Han or Luke in the fleeting look. She knew that at least one of them was behind her; a niggling sensation at the back of her head told her that she was being watched. It had been there throughout the entire afternoon and had caught her off guard at first. _'Must be Luke's attention that I'm not used to,'_ she had reasoned, not believing that Han's stare could put her on edge.

She paused at a children's clothing display, taking the time to admire the items, but unable to force herself to enter. She had never been much of a shopper to begin with and now, having completed her task, she longed to return to the hotel so they could return to the base. The niggling sensation grew stronger and she found herself scanning the crowd behind her, hoping to catch a reassuring glimpse of Luke's presence. She knew that he wouldn't be so brazen as to wave to her through the crowd, but she couldn't help but wish that he would. A feeling of unease had settled in the pit of her stomach and, remaining at the window, she turned to scan the crowd ahead of her as well, eyes searching for a familiar stride and dark hair. Unable to locate Han either, she reasoned that he was somewhere directly behind her, pacing her, most-likely, from across the busy street. She fought the urge to turn around and blatantly peruse that area and, quieting the warning signals inside her, continued on her path up the street.

As she walked, a break in the strip of stores loomed ahead and her feelings of unease multiplied as she approached it. She hesitated, unwilling to walk past the break that was only a few metres from her current position. Moving to the curbside, she waited impatiently for an interruption in the repulsor traffic so she could cross to the other side. Taking advantage of her new position, she scanned the crowd across the street for Han, desperately seeking his reassuring presence.

"Leia!"

Luke's cry came to her from down the street and she turned to see him fighting his way through a group of men who were gainfully preventing his progress. The traffic cleared, but she hesitated and that brief moment's hesitation cost her. A calloused hand covered her mouth and a solid arm wrapped around her chest, securing her arms effectively at her sides. She was pulled into the alleyway despite her protests. Out of the corner of her eye, as she was hauled away, she noticed Han pushing his way across the street.

Her captor dragged her further along the decrepit alley. This was the part of Ord Mantell that most visitors have never seen and Leia quickly wished that she had been left with that majority. Garbage lay piled at side doors and the proximity of the buildings blocked out the sun, throwing her into shadows even in the bright light of the noon day. She stumbled as he continued to drag her deeper into the underbelly of the resort community, but his restraining arms prevented her from falling. After passing a connecting alleyway, he shoved her unceremoniously into a recessed doorway. He turned her around and, keeping the hand on her mouth, shoved her against the door and then drew his blaster. This he pointed directly at her chest.

"I trust I don't have to worry about any noise from you," he warned, his intent clear and she shook her head in silent response.

The man who held her spoke with a gravelly voice. A scar crossed his right eye vertically, beginning at the middle of his forehead and ending at the centre of his cheek. He was bald and of average height for a man from a planet with normal gravity, but was rather stocky in build, especially through the shoulders and chest. He leaned close to her as he spoke and the sour stench of his breath caused her to recoil reflexively. Her scattered brain tried to sort out a reasonable escape plan, knowing that she had the opportunity to take her single assailant by surprise if she could just recognize the proper moment and take advantage of it. A woman and two other men, the latter two breathless, chose that moment to join them in their alcove, rendering all of Leia's escape plans ineffectual.

"Keep your eyes open for Solo," the woman ordered and Leia silently appraised this new opponent.

She was only a few centims taller than Leia herself, but seemed more muscular, if the fit and cut of her clothing were any indication. Even were she not nearly five months pregnant, Leia knew that she would have trouble with this new adversary in hand to hand combat. There was something about the way that she carried herself and the familiarity with which she handled her blaster that indicated an ability that Leia might have admired, had the woman been on her team.

The other two men stationed themselves at opposite corners of the alley intersection, both on the side nearest the alcove. These men were leaner and shorter than the man who currently held her at gunpoint, but seemed equally capable of handling the weapons in their hands. They scanned the alley that lead back to the street, waiting for the imminent arrival of Leia's backup. Leia found that she could neither pray for Luke and Han's speedy arrival, nor could she pray that they had missed her abduction and had proceeded up the street. She knew that she couldn't escape on her own, but was worried about the trap that seemed to have been laid to catch the men that she knew were racing to help her. A scrape came from the shadows ahead and Leia whispered a quick prayer of hope.

_A/N: So?_

_PS. Go tigers! (and I know they've already made it to the World Series, but I'm very superstitious and I started adding that line to my posts when I was worried that they were going to get swept by the Yankees and thought they could use a little help making it to game 4 (which I had tickets to). Since it appears to have worked (because they couldn't have won because of their ability alone g ) I can't stop now:)_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait between updates. Thanks to everyone who has been sending me all the encouraging reviews. I've been struggling with a bit of writer's block, but I hope it's been cured now. And now, here's the latest update. I hope it was worth the wait._

**Unexpected Detours, part 12**

"No!!"

Han wasn't sure if he screamed the word or if it had simply screamed in his mind. The scene had played before him in slow motion and hyperspeed at the same time. He had watched as Leia, standing almost directly across from him, had waited patiently to cross the busy street. He hadn't been sure what had prompted her decision to change sides, but had been happy that she would now be closer to him as he trailed her. Then Luke's warning had echoed off the buildings and Han had watched as Leia turned to the sound of his voice. This was the part that replayed in his mind in slow motion even as he chased down the dark alleyway. Leia's head turning, the confusion clearly evident on her features. A break in the traffic had appeared then and he could clearly see her as she stood at the curb opposite him, the sweep of her braid, the drape of her shirt, the bags in her hands at her sides. That one instant was almost frozen, so slow had it seemed to play out before him. And then there was a hand. It had appeared so quickly that he couldn't recall the appearance of the man attached to that hand. Thick fingers had covered her mouth and a green clad arm had covered her chest and her bags were forgotten at the curb side as she was pulled instantly into the dark passage behind her.

This is where Han had chased her, not waiting to see if Luke was following and not pausing to formulate a well-planned approach. He had fought his way around and over the various modes of transportation that separated him and his princess, cursing - probably aloud - the precious moments wasted on manoeuvring across the busy street. Clearing the traffic and the pedestrians on the opposite walkway, he plunged after Leia into the comparative darkness of the alley, reaching to his thigh for his trusty sidearm. His hand met with the coarse fabric of his pants and he panicked for an instant before remembering that he had concealed the weapon against his ribcage in deference to the anti-weapons legislation that was prevalent on Ord Mantell.

"Solo," came the call of a woman's voice as he skidded to a halt just out of view of the sentries posted at the end of the alley. "This is simple. I know who you are and I know who she is… and, more importantly, I know who she is to you."

Han stood frozen in the dark shadows of the alleyway and cursed whatever gods or beings that were responsible for placing Leia in her current position. He assessed the situation quickly. There were two guards, a third man holding Leia at gunpoint and the woman who had called out to him, all clearly armed. Luke would find his way to his position shortly and he was carrying his light sabre, but Leia was unarmed. He scanned the area behind him, straining to hear the sound of Luke's footfalls but heard nothing. Turning back to the group a few metres ahead, he appraised each opponent, his eyes resting finally on the blaster pressed against Leia's chest.

"Solo," the woman called again, taking a few steps back towards Leia and the thug holding her. "I don't need her. It's you I'm after, but I will hurt her if I have to, understand?"

He debated a few seconds longer before making his decision. Luke would manage his way through the crowd to his current location soon, but that still left the odds in the woman's favour. If he surrendered, then Luke could get Chewie and formulate a better plan than a shootout in an alleyway. Admittingly, leaving with this group of bandits and being taken to wherever they were planning on taking him didn't leave a lot to be desired. Han's eyes strayed back to the gun pressed against Leia's heart. He couldn't make himself take the risks that the shootout would involve and, his mind made up, he stepped into the centre of the alley. He held his right arm outstretched, his gun dangling unthreateningly from his fingertips, his left hand held up empty in a show of surrender. All but one of the four blasters that the others held pointed directly at him.

"Solo, toss me your weapon," the woman ordered, clearly in charge of the group. Han scanned his memory for any hint of recognition of the woman before him, but found none.

"Not until you let her go," he answered. "You said it yourself: you don't need her. I'll come with you as soon as your dog sets her free."

"Nice try, but it won't work. She's coming along so I can assure your cooperation. When I have what I need, I'll set her free."

He met Leia's eyes and apologized for failing to keep her safe as he had promised; for putting her in this position in the first place; for not telling her that there was a chance that something like this could happen at all; for dragging her down into his life instead of rising up into hers.

Checking the safety, he let the blaster fall to the ground and sent it skidding across the duracrete to the nearest sentry who in turn picked it up and tossed it to the woman. Both sentries approached him then, guns steady. As they neared, a hint of recognition flashed in his mind and he was sure that he had served with one of the men during his brief stint in the military. _'Bosan? Brisan? Brist? Bristen.'_ His memory dredged up the name of the man currently levelling his blaster at his chest while his counterpart secured his hands behind his back. Visions of a younger, happier version of the man standing before him danced through his mind, his sandy hair slightly lighter and shorter than the shaggy locks that presently brushed his shoulders. Memories of a sabaac game and mugs of Corellian ale mixed with training sessions and class disruptions.

"Bristen, old pal, don't you remember me? Come on, there has to be some way we can work this out."

"Yeah, I remember you, Solo." Bristen's voice was grim when he answered and held no trace of amiability. "I remember you taking a full month's stipend from me at the sabaac tables when we celebrated completing the written portion of our pilot's challenge. I remember you leaving with my date that night and I remember you taking off and leaving all together a few weeks later. I was stranded without a wingman for the in-flight sequence. Yeah, I'd say it'd be pretty hard to forget you."

"Huh, well uh," Han stuttered in response as Bristen's accusations brought the full details of their history to his mind. "That's all in the past now, right? Looks like you're doing well for yourself now," he tried valiantly to recover some favour in the man's eyes. "Look, you have me now. I know I'm worth a lot of money to you. She isn't worth anything. Just let her go, okay?" After a few moments pause, he added: "I know I have no right to ask, but please, just let her go."

Han waited for some indication that the man had been swayed by his plea, but saw none. For a brief instant, he thought there was a slight change in the colouring of his eyes, a softening of their mossy shade and he had equated it to a softening in the man's stance, but he had been mistaken. The colour of his eyes might have softened, but the man hadn't and he spun on his heel with a hint of his military training before leading them back to the alcove where Leia stood.

"Han Solo," he stood face to face with the woman who was clearly the leader of the group as she purred his name. In fact, he was surprised that she nearly stood eye to eye with him. Her dark, almost black, hair was pulled back and tied at the nape of her neck. She was dressed in a tan jumpsuit with military styling reminiscent of another era and it fit her figure nicely. She might have once been beautiful, he realized, but years of harsh living had left their evidence on her face, leaving a few wrinkles and a coldness her dark eyes.

"I've been waiting a long time for this moment," she continued. "You've given me quite a chase and part of me should be very angry with you for being so difficult to capture. But then, part of me should thank you because I've made a lot of money now that it's taken so long to find you. Jabba won't be very happy to find out that you were captured only days after he doubled the bounty on your head."

"Listen," he pleaded. "What if I pay you instead?"

"You don't have that kind of money."

"You don't know that. I have some credits. And if I don't have enough, you know that she might," he jerked his chin at Leia. "Come on, just let us go. You'll get your money and you won't have to deal with the trouble of bringing me to Jabba. You never know what you're gonna get with him anyway."

"He's right, Jaivyn," the scarred man who was holding Leia spoke up.

"No, he's not," the woman, 'Jaivyn' apparently, rebuffed. "Jabba gets wind of this and then next thing you know, we can't get any work anywhere. And then, we'll have a bounty on our heads like he does. Sorry, but I'm not taking business advice from a has-been smuggler who's tossed his career aside for a lost cause."

The woman turned her back to him and headed off down the alley. He and Leia were pushed along behind her and he took the opportunity to take a closer look at Leia. He nearly sighed aloud with relief as he realized that, despite being slightly dishevelled, she appeared to be unharmed. Her eyes met his briefly and she allowed her emotions to show. The fear he glimpsed wrapped tendrils around his heart, squeezing painfully.

"Look…" he called out to Jaivyn. "Jaivyn, right? Just let's talk about this for a minute."

"Shut up, Solo!" she ordered, ending quickly his efforts at negotiation.

She had briefly turned back to face him and he was given a glimpse of the harshness that had made her successful in her line of work. And he knew that she must be successful. Female bounty hunters were a rare breed, especially human females; there were just too many species that could over power a woman and most bounties required that the offending party be captured alive. He knew that, for her to be successful enough to have a few men in her employ, she would have to be very intelligent and that fact didn't bode well for either of them.

Han and Leia were led further down the alley until they reached the back of the building on their right. Here, a covered skiff waited and they were shoved into the rear cabin with the scarred man and Bristen. Leia hadn't spoken throughout their ordeal and Han wondered at her silence. He knew that she was slightly out of her element with these people and that was one of the reasons that she had let him lead the conversation with Jaivyn, but he had been surprised that she hadn't contributed. He thought that she might have spoken up when he had offered the credits that she had just secured, maybe even a little more, and that might have swayed the bounty hunter's decision. He tried not to think that she wouldn't have turned over the money if he had been taken up on his offer. And he tried not to think about how she felt at his getting them into this situation and how angry she would be when she found out that he had been warned the night before and hadn't told her.

The skiff carried them away from the tourist area of Ord Mantell and toward the more industrialized section. Han noted that there was little concern of them knowing the route they travelled and knew that the bounty hunter did so because she didn't believe that they would escape and find their way back to the hotel. He was standing close to Leia and wished that his hands were unbound just so he could reach out to her. Their situation was rapidly degrading and his hopes were with Luke and his ability to trail the skiff undetected. _'Who am I kidding? I don't even know if he saw us leave,'_ he lamented.

Leia's hand brushed against his sleeve then and her fingers clasped his behind his back. Her touched soothed him and reminded him to not give up hope. He had too much to hope for and had to believe that they were going to find their way out of this somehow.

_A/N: Please let me know what you're thinking of this story so far. I know that not as much happened in this chapter as some of you might have liked, but these things take time. Thanks for being patient with me. Scarlet._


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Okay, so it's been a little longer than I had hoped between updates and I'm really sorry. This chapter was really hard to write and I struggled with making it work for me. I hope that in the end, it works for everyone who has stuck with me this far. Thank you so much for all the reviews. Each one forced me to put my fingers on the keyboard when I was frustrated with my lack of inspiration._

_And, despite my feeling that after putting so much work into these characters that I should have some rights, they are not mine. George did put so much more effort, after all. Send all your money to him. But reviews, I will take those gladly. Scarlet._

**Unexpected Detours, part 13**

Their skiff carried them into a warehouse district several kilometres outside of the main tourism sector of Ord Mantell. It finally came to a stop next to one of five nearly identical buildings lining the deserted street. They were ushered quickly into the building by the scarred man and Jaivyn while Bristen and his still nameless partner remained outside.

Leia was pushed onto a large box, bonds clasped tightly around her wrists. She watched as Han was shoved forcibly into a chair, his hands released briefly, only to be secured to the chair along with his feet. She assessed their situation, vainly trying to develop a plan of escape.

"Okay, Jaivyn, you've got what you want," Han addressed their captor. "Now you can let her go."

"Actually, there's still something I need." Leia cringed internally as the woman's cold gaze fixed on her, but straightened her back, giving no outward impression of the fear that churned within her.

"She'll be released when we're on our way," Jaivyn continued, turning her focus back to Han. "And, once you tell me where the rebel base is."

"What?" Leia couldn't believe what she had heard. "No, absolutely not. That's not going to happen. You'll be bringing me with you."

"You're not worth anything to me, but the location of the rebel base is. So one of you is going to tell me that location…"

Jaivyn levelled her blaster at Han's forehead, directing her stare to Leia. She met the bounty hunter's gaze, determined to prove to the woman that they wouldn't be bullied into revealing the location. After a few minutes, Leia felt some measure of triumph, as Jaivyn turned away. That feeling of triumph quickly dissipated as she found herself staring into a blaster and Han was now fixed with the woman's cold stare.

"Well, Solo, I guess it's up to you. You know where you stand with her, but where does she stand with you? Are you going to sacrifice her for the rebellion?"

Han met Jaivyn's icy stare, but Leia could clearly read the indecision in his eyes. She knew that he would eventually cave to the woman's demands; that he lacked her commitment to the rebellion; that he would readily choose her life and the life of their baby over the lives of the many men and women stationed on Hoth. The choice had been easier for her since she had known that Jaivyn wouldn't hurt Han. Jabba's bounty had prevented it.

She was about to speak, to convince Han somehow not to speak, when an explosion of pain lanced across her temple. She swayed, barely maintaining her seated position as her scrambled senses tried to make sense of what had just happened. Taking several deep breaths, she slowly opened her eyes and saw the booted feet now standing beside her. The scarred man, who had stood in silent observation until having struck her, was holstering his weapon, apparently believing that the physical blow he had just rendered had garnered the desired effect.

As Leia gathered herself enough to recognize the cause of the throbbing in her temple, she also became aware of Han's bartering with the bounty hunter on her behalf.

"Okay, okay!" The clatter of his chair echoed off the walls as he struggled futilely against his bonds. "Stop it! Just stop it! Don't hurt her again. I'll tell you where the base is."

"No, Han," she cried out before he could speak anymore. "Don't tell her anything. I'm fine," she lied in her efforts to reassure him. She wasn't fine; her head hurt so badly that she feared she might vomit.

"Leia, it'll be okay," Han answered. "We'll give Jaivyn the location. She'll let you go and you'll contact the base and they'll evacuate before the Imperials can move in. Jaivyn'll still get her money and you'll be okay and we'll all be happy."

Leia didn't make an effort to keep her reaction to his plan from her face, nor her opinion of the bounty hunter's likelihood of keeping up her end of the agreement. "Han, I don't think…"

"This is not a forum for debate," Jaivyn interrupted loudly. "And, I don't really care what you think," she pointed at Leia with her blaster. "Now," she continued, returning her focus to Han, "you will tell me where the rebel base is or I will kill her."

Leia opened her mouth to speak again, but was quickly silenced as the scarred man cuffed her quickly across her jaw. The staccato of Han's chair rose again.

"If he hurts her again, I won't tell you a thing," the threat in Han's voice rang clear in the air.

"If you don't tell me anything, then she will die," came Jaivyn's quick retort.

The bounty hunter motioned toward Leia and she found herself quickly pulled up from her seated position. Before she could plant her feet firmly beneath her, the scarred man had grasped her arms and shoved her viciously against the wall. Her head slammed backwards, bouncing off the wall behind her and exacerbating the ringing that the blaster blow had begun.

For the first time since she had been captured by the bounty hunters, Leia found herself gripped with real fear. Until this moment, she had been worried - worried about how they were going to get away, worried that one of them would get hurt, worried that Han would be taken away. She wasn't worried anymore - she was terrified. These people meant to kill her.

The scar-faced man threw her to the floor where she landed painfully. Her hands were trapped beneath her, still bound and one was turned at an awkward angle, causing a sharp pain to radiate from her wrist up through her forearm. That pain, she knew, was just a shadow of the pain that was beginning to pulse in her abdomen.

"I said 'stop'! Stop it already. I'll tell you," Han's cries penetrated the fog of her pain as she struggled to her hands and knees. "They're in the Hoth system."

Leia looked up only to find herself staring once again into the nose of scar-face's blaster. She continued with her struggle to stand, keeping her eyes on the muzzle of the weapon. Once safely on her feet, she chanced a glance at the face behind the blaster.

Suddenly, blaster fire sounded from outside the building. The scarred man turned to the sound and Leia took advantage of his momentary distraction. Using her bonds as leverage, she pulled the blaster from his hand. It scattered across the floor, sliding out of reach. His moment of distraction ended and he threw her against the wall. Ignoring the pain that seemed to emanate from every part of her body, Leia forced herself to retaliate. She locked both hands together and swung with all her strength, connecting with his jaw.

The blaster fire continued from outside and the clatter of Han's chair had intensified, but Leia couldn't allow herself to think about those things. Her blow had briefly stunned her attacker and she dove for the discarded blaster. A vice wrapped around her ankle and she fell forward, stretching for the gun. Her fingers tightened on the cool metal in the same instant that a sharp heat seared into her hip. The cry escaped her before she could stop it as the pain intensified. Rolling on her back, she shot at the man holding her ankle, hitting him twice before turning her attention to the woman who had shot her. Jaivyn was rising to her feet and Han lay on his side, still secured to his chair. The woman's arm raised to point her weapon at the man prone at her feet. Leia discharged her blaster several times and the woman dropped next to Han.

Drawing strength from deep within, Leia forced herself to disregard her pain for a few minutes more. Half-walking, half-crawling, she reached Han's side. Searching Jaivyn, she quickly found a vibroblade stashed in the bounty hunter's belt. A whimper escaped as she shifted and her weight pressed her injured hip against the floor. Her hand shook as she sliced the material binding Han's hands to the chair. As soon as they were freed, they caressed her face as the tears she had been keeping at bay spilled over.

The sound of weapons discharging from outside the building was replaced with silence. Leia reached blindly for her discarded blaster, keeping her eyes on the doorway. Her fingers brushed the cool metal as the door slammed open and her breath caught in her throat. She exhaled with a whoosh as a mountain of brown fur filled the opening. Chewie's howl echoed through the room.

"Chewie!" Han couldn't keep the sound of his relief from his voice. "Get over here and help me."

Han retrieved the vibroblade and quickly sliced through the material binding his ankles to the chair. Finally able to move freely, he slid the chair aside and moved to cradle Leia. He tried not to pay too much attention to the damage to her face. It cut him to the core, but he knew that she had more serious injuries that weren't so clearly visible.

"She's hurt. We need to get her out of here, now!"

Luke raced in after Chewbacca, somewhat winded and stumbled slightly as he neared the pair. Han watched as the younger man seem to struggle to catch his breath and stood nearly doubled over in pain.

"Are you hurt, too?" he asked.

"No, I…" Luke began, but Han didn't hear anything further as Leia recaptured his attention with a whimper and a moan. He caressed the curve of her cheek, cataloguing the swelling and redness that marred her perfect complexion. His hand fluttered down to her hip and floated over the wound there, trying not to envision the injury that would have resulted had he not been able to knock Jaivyn's aim off. He hesitated, unsure of what course of action he should follow next. He knew how to dress wounds, but he worried about the wounds that he couldn't see.

"How'd you get here?" Han barked his question, his mind racing. "We need to get her to a hospital."

"N-no, Han." Leia's voice quivered with pain and he wondered at how she had been able to control her reaction so well earlier - how she had been in so much pain and yet, had been able to save his life while he had sat by and allowed his life - her life - to be jeopardized.

"It's not safe," she added quietly. "And it's too late."

"No. No. You don't know that, Leia. C'mon, Luke. Give me a hand."

"Han, she's right. It's not safe. We can't just go prancing into an Imperial hospital with a known rebel who's suffering from blaster wounds." Luke's answering voice seemed more focused now. "Let's get her to the med-bunk on the Falcon. It can evaluate her condition while we make a quick jump to a safer port."

He wanted to argue with the younger man's logic, but instead accepted his help to rise. Leia moaned painfully and her eyes squeezed shut as he hoisted her in his arms. The action pressed her wound against him and he winced as the pain he had caused drew a sharp cry from her lips.

"I know, sweetheart. I know it hurts." He pressed a kiss on the top of her head as she buried her face against his chest. "Shhh… I'll make this as quick as I can, okay?"

She didn't answer - not that he had expected her to - but her hand fisted his shirt tightly. He exited the building into the bright light of the late afternoon sun, eyes blinking as they adjusted to the unexpected brilliance. The welcoming haven of the Millennium Falcon stood just a few metres away and only the fragile weight in his arms prevented him from racing up her awaiting ramp. Instead, he tread carefully, barely registering the prone bodies of his former captors as he made his way steadily to their escape. Even so, each step he took yielded a sharp intake of breath and if it weren't for the graveness of Leia's injuries, he might have breathed a sigh of relief as his foot first fell on the metal of the Falcon's ramp.

Easing her into the medical bunk near the Falcon's crew's quarters, he quickly hooked her into the diagnostic systems and secured an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. He wasn't sure if she needed the oxygen, but felt that it couldn't hurt and it made him feel as though he was doing something to help her immediately. He still wasn't completely comfortable with delaying her medical care, but knew that he had to trust Luke's judgement in this matter. He was too personally involved to make a rational decision and despite his instincts screaming at him that he should be high-tailing it to the nearest hospital, Chewie's lack of argument further solidified his trust in Luke's decision.

He inputted as much of Leia's information as he could into the data system as the familiar lurch of the ship's take-off shifted his axis slightly. Luke was in the cockpit aiding Chewie with the pre-flight procedures, neither thinking to replace him at her side. The med-bunk beeped and the first data began to stream across the screen. He attached two electrical leads to her abdomen and sent a whisper through the Force, hoping for the best. Leia used her good arm to pull the oxygen mask from her face and he felt her eyes on him. His hands hung uselessly at his sides and, meeting her gaze, he raised one to rest on the curve of her abdomen and the other to caress the curve of her cheek. The med-bunk beeped again, the sound seemingly loud in the silence between them.

He didn't want to look. He didn't want to read the answer that he was sure was there, but he couldn't continue to meet her dark eyes either so he turned to face the screen.

_No heartbeat. No sign of life._

He must have hesitated long enough to tell Leia what the screen had read because tears were already spilling down her cheeks when he turned back to meet her eyes. He was speechless as he read the pain and sorrow in her face. There were no words that he could offer to make her feel better. Shame and sorrow and grief and anger. These things coursed through him like the blood in his veins and he wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. Her eyes squeezed shut as another cry escaped her and he was reminded that there wasn't any time for his emotions. She still needed him.

The computer beeped again and he turned back to the screen to read its latest report. Mechanically, he followed the recommendations on the screen to the best of his ability, barely meeting her eyes again. He couldn't face her. The early redness of the injuries that marred her face was fading, giving way to a deep bruise that screamed its accusations of his guilt. He closed his eyes only to face the images of her battering at the hands of the scarred man - hands that might as well have been his own considering how little he had done to save her and how much he had done to put her in that man's hands.

But the visible injuries - the visible injuries that were nearly impossible for him to cope with - they were nothing compared to the reality of how he had truly failed her. He had never imagined that he would ever sit by and watch someone he loved be abused so brutally. He had killed their child. He had taken away her first real taste of happiness after so long. He was no better than the man who had taken her world from her, nor any of the others who had taken that and so much more.

_Okay, so? I know it was too long between updates to ask if it was worth the wait, but if the wait had just been a few days, would it have been worth it? I'm winding this down - only a few updates left - so this is one of your last chances to review:) All comments - good or bad - are welcome. Scarlet._


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: I thought that the last chapter was difficult to write. This was much harder. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Apologies to those who are unhappy with where this story has gone. It really was my only option since I didn't want to make this an AU… if I had it would have meant that my favourite of the trilogy - Empire Strikes Back - hadn't happened. I couldn't have that._

_Again, much to my regret, I cannot claim any ownership of the worlds or characters… they all belong to George, except for the first few lines of the poem. That poem is titled **High Flight** and was written by John Magee. Anyone wanting to read the full poem can send me an email and I'll send it to you. It's a little "earthbound" to include in its entirety here. Also, I would be remiss in not thanking **GoldenJedi** for some inspiration and technical advice. GoldenJedi, if you're reading this, I'm sure that you'll recognize where your inspiration falls. Thank you._

_And finally, thank you, George, for creating a galaxy that I can play in. As usual, send him any money and me any reviews. Scarlet._

**Unexpected Detours, part 14**

Leia moaned sharply, and with a strength born of years spent living with emotional pain, Han pushed his inner thoughts to the background and focused again on her. She squeezed his hand tightly as the contraction gripped her and he dabbed at the perspiration on her forehead with a damp cloth.

"Han, how is she?" Luke's voice carried ahead of him as he entered the crew area.

"She's holding up, but we need to get her some real medical attention."

"And, the…"

Han was thankful that the question had been left unasked. Something in his expression must have warned Luke against completing his question, or more than likely, had answered it. He wasn't ready to speak the answer to that question aloud. He wasn't ready to give the weight to that truth that speaking the words aloud would give.

He moved away from Leia's bunk, taking Luke with him. "Where're we going and how much longer 'till we get there?"

Luke looked slightly uncomfortable as he answered: "I think our best bet is to hang on until we get to Hoth."

"Hoth?" Han tried to keep his emotions in check. "Hoth is still a few hours away. There has to be somewhere closer."

"There isn't anywhere that's going to be safe. You said she's holding up, right?" Luke paused, glancing over Han's shoulder to the prone figure on the bunk. "The Falcon's got a great med-kit, one of the best according to Chewie. We can take care of her 'till we get back to base."

"Han," Leia called his name and he rushed back to her side.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt? What can I…?" he stopped as she placed a weak finger against his lips.

"Luke's right," she answered. "I can make it until we get back home. You can take care of me until then."

Han wanted to argue further, but couldn't make himself argue with her at a time like this. A part of him recognized the fear that was the driving force behind his argument; fear that he would lose her; fear of facing her and fear of the responsibility of taking care of her. He didn't know how long he could keep his grief buried before it overwhelmed him. Even now, he wanted to flee to his cabin and turn off all the lights and hide from this new reality in his life.

_'She must be feeling all that and more,'_ he thought. _'She's hurt and in pain and dealing with a loss that she probably feels more deeply than I do. How can I not take care of her?'_ He grasped the hand that she had used to silence him and, pressing a kiss against her knuckles, lowered it to her side.

"Okay, Leia, we'll go all the way to Hoth. But," he turned to address Luke while still holding her hand, "have Chewie keep track of safe ports along the way. I want us to be able to stop if we have to."

Luke nodded his agreement. "After I tell him, do you want me to come back and help?"

"Yeah."

"No." Leia's simultaneous decline of the offer for assistance nearly drowned out Han's acceptance, so forceful had it been. Her eyes pleaded with him silently for a moment before she plead with him aloud. "Please, Han, please. Just you, okay?"

He couldn't deny her… he would probably agree with anything she asked of him at this point. Luke's offer had been his chance to escape, but he knew that he didn't deserve to escape her pain. He had caused it; the least he could do was bear witness to it. Almost as if cued by his thoughts, she closed her eyes and squeezed his hand, crying out as the pain increased again.

"We'll be fine. I'll call you if I need you, kid. Okay?" Han dismissed Luke and watched him leave before turning to read the medical computer again. He already had a pretty good idea of what it would say: that she was in labour and that he would have to help her deliver their baby… their dead baby. The computer beeped and it gave him information on her contractions - some of which didn't make much sense to him - and an estimated time until delivery. Forty-seven minutes. Forty-seven minutes. There were nine hells in Corellia and he was certain that he was trapped in one of them and would be for another forty-seven minutes.

Leia released the breath she had been holding as the pain in her abdomen faded. That pain, and the ones that had proceeded it, were almost a blessing - a welcome distraction from the real pain. The real pain that she hadn't yet fully appreciated. The real pain that threatened to crush her heart and devastate her senses. Each contraction served as a cruel reminder that she was in the process of giving birth to her dead child. And yet, as each pain twisted her abdomen, it helped her forget that horror, even if for just a few brief moments. Time seemed to stand still and stretch for eternity as she embraced her pain while longing for its conclusion.

Too soon and not soon enough, she felt Han's fingers fumbling at her legs. A soft blanket brushed her inner thigh and then the end to the pain that she had both wanted and feared came at last. Visions swam through her mind - dreams more than visions, really. And in those dreams, once the pain subsided, she could hear the faint sounds of a baby's cry. But in her reality, the end of her suffering was greeted with an eerie silence.

She opened her eyes, just realizing that she had closed them as she had strained to hear some sound in the silence, and her gaze fell upon Han's ashen face. He had just lain a cutting tool next to the blue cloth and with a clenched jaw, covered the baby with the soft material.

"No, Han. Wait. I want to see." She was surprised at the steadiness of her voice in spite of the tears that were wetting her cheeks. "I need to see…" her voice trailed off as she faltered, realizing that she didn't even know if the baby he held was a boy or a girl.

He turned to her and the agony she met nearly made her recant her request. At the same time, it reminded her that she wasn't suffering alone. Grey eyes rimmed with red searched her face and she watched as he swallowed visibly, seemingly unable to speak. Still silent, he breathed deeply and turned to the bundle in front of him. Cradling his burden in one hand, he unwrapped the blanket with the other.

A sob escaped her as she gazed upon her impossibly tiny, perfectly formed, completely still, baby boy. She lifted a hesitant hand and caressed his cheek gently with the back of her finger. Her chest constricted as she took in the tiny form that barely filled Han's strong hand. This tiny life that had depended on her; that had depended on her to keep it safe for a lifetime and she hadn't even managed to do so for a few short months. She chanced a glance at Han, but couldn't bear the devastation she read on his face and returned her watery gaze to memorize this last glimpse of her son. _'I'm sorry,'_ her mind screamed, knowing there would be no forgiveness - asking anyway. Her sobs grew stronger until her vision blurred and she barely saw the blanket as it was replaced over the small form.

Unable to bear her suffering any longer, Han had re-covered their son. He carried him to his quarters where he placed him gently on the bed. Moving to his closet, he scattered his clothing and any other items stored there, searching for the chest he had given Dewlanna. The pride he had felt as he had presented her with his creation seemed a distant memory… something that he hadn't felt and wouldn't feel for a long time. Still, that sunny afternoon when he had offered the only mother he had known the first thing he had created stood as a bright spot in a dark life. He wanted to give some of that light to his son, albeit much too late and in no way retribution for his sins. He hadn't been able to give him anything that mattered and had taken away the only thing that did - his life - but this he would give him and it would never be enough.

His fingers brushed a rough-hewn corner and he slid the box down from the high shelf. Taking a moment to brush the dust off the lid, he tried to recover some of the hope he had felt that day so long ago. Tried but failed. Blinking against tears that he refused to allow to fall, he placed the chest next to his bundle. Kneeling so his elbows rested on the mattress, he unwrapped the blanket again. The tiny baby engulfed by the small blanket bore little resemblance to the baby of his dreams.

_A dark-haired baby lay curled against Leia's shoulder, chubby fingers entwined in a lock of her hair. A shaggy-haired toddler raced up the Falcon's ramp with arms stretched out to greet him. A lean boy sat dwarfed by Chewie's over-sized chair, playing at the controls of his ship_.

Unbidden, the tears escaped, tracing a path down his cheek and splashing onto his son while images of the life his son would never live continued to flash through his mind. He quickly wiped at the tears, trying to erase both their evidence and the images in his mind. Bending, he kissed the spots where they had landed on the baby and replaced the cover. He gently placed the baby in the box, trying not to notice the finality of the sound as he closed the lid. He laid a hand on the dark wood, pausing briefly before leaving the room.

As he exited, he was greeted with Leia's broken figure on the med-bunk. He fought against the powerful urge to flee back to his quarters - going so far as covering the opener with his palm - until he was finally able to take a step forward. Her breathing hitched occasionally and her face was blotchy with tears, but, thankfully, she seemed in control of her emotions once again; he knew that he couldn't give her the support that she would need if she hadn't been.

The med-computer beeped its recommendations and he noted that the recommendations had been repeated several times before this last. Rifling through the first-aid kit, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he found most of the medications that had been recommended. Administering them quickly, he moved to the unpleasant task of cleaning up the remains of the birth. _'Is it really considered 'birth' when it doesn't result in life?'_ He shook his head both in answer to and to clear the question from his head. Leia remained silent as he worked and he tried to complete his task as quickly as possible, unwilling to remind her of the ordeal any longer than necessary. Quick glances told him that she was barely keeping herself awake, completely drained from the physical and emotional trauma. Covering her with a blanket, his grim work completed, he dabbed at her face with a damp cloth and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

Leia watched him leave after he had kissed her. He hadn't spoken to her and she couldn't bear to speak to him; he had been so hurt and angry when he had left his quarters and she had caused it. She had insisted on going on the mission. She had insisted that she was the only one who could help the rebellion. She had fought to escape their captors instead of waiting for Luke and Chewie. She had killed their son and she couldn't do anything to ease the pain that was etched in Han's features. The set of his jaw and cold grey of his eyes told her more than his words would have had he spoken. His silence screamed his accusations and she knew she could never repair - never ease the pain she had caused him. Her heart clenched with her grief, but it clenched with her guilt as well and she closed her eyes as his departing form rounded the corner and fell from her sight.

Her eyes fluttered open as the sound of his voice carried to her as he returned.

"Put her in orbit around the planet. I'm not ready to go down there yet."

Chewie growled a question in return.

"No, she'll be okay a little while longer. I'm not bringing him down to that ball of ice. He'll have a spacer's funeral."

Leia struggled to sit upright, failing to do so and called out to Han instead. "What's going on?"

"I'm giving our son…"

"Ayrdon," she interrupted.

He had been striding quickly past her, but stopped when she had spoken. "What?"

"Ayrdon," she answered quietly. "His name is Ayrdon… I mean I want to name him Ayrdon. It's Alderaanian. It means…"

"Strength. I know. Okay, Ayrdon. I don't want to leave him in the ice on Hoth. He should be with the stars, free. Ayrdon. I'm bringing him to the airlock now."

Leia had nodded as he had expressed his wishes. She hadn't thought about leaving their son in the desolate cold of Hoth. She struggled again to rise. "I want to come, too."

"No, you can't," Han had begun to continue to his quarters when he stopped once again to address her. "You can't… I won't… You're not… No."

As he had watched her struggle to join him and he had refused her company, the words he needed to say remained lodged in his throat. She could barely sit upright and he wouldn't risk her health by dragging her to the Falcon's airlock. Her tear-stained and bruised face reminded him all too readily of the pain he had caused and he couldn't bear to witness her suffering any longer. He couldn't imagine what he would do if he lost her as well. _'Kest, I probably lost her already. She must hate me now.'_ At least, he could live knowing that she was still living. Without her, he wasn't sure that he could go on.

Leia craned her neck to watch him disappear into his quarters, emerging moments later carrying a wooden chest. The well-rubbed, dark wood shone in the dim lighting and she could make out the curving lines of detailed scroll-work that were carved into its surface. It was beautiful and she wondered briefly how he had found something so perfect so quickly. It dawned on her then that this piece was something close to his heart.

Chewie growled softly and Han answered: "I know, but he needs it more than I do." The Wookie then threw his arms around the pilot and his low rumbling brought fresh tears to her eyes even though the meaning of his words escaped her. The pair separated and Chewie headed off in the direction of the cockpit while Han moved to the airlock.

"Han," she called after him, but his only answer was the echo of footsteps as he walked away. She began removing the various lines that kept her tethered to the Falcon's med-bunk. Freed, she struggled to her feet, fighting the waves of dizziness that washed over her as she secured the blanket around her. Taking one hesitant step after another, she moved slowly in the direction that Han had gone.

"Leia."

Luke's arms wrapped around her, and his presence surprised her, so focused had she been on her journey. She allowed him to support her, a dim awareness that he was in fact carrying her more than supporting her blossomed briefly in the back of her mind.

"Come on, Leia." Her axis shifted and she was cradled in his arms. "Han needs to do this alone. We'll watch from the turret."

Han stood in the hold of the Falcon's airlock, his son - Ayrdon - placed at the outer seal. He stood, arms crossed and pressed against his chest, huddling within himself, his chin pressed down toward his chest. The first lines of an old spacer's poem repeated in his head and he whispered them aloud.

"Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings."

He opened the com to the cockpit. "Chewie?"

His partner's affirmative growl told him that the Falcon was in position and he could open the airlock when he was ready. He hesitated at the inner seal and for several moments, entertained the idea of opening the outer seal while he still remained in the airlock, but then quickly shook the thought from his mind. The pain of a death in the vacuum of space seemed a welcome reprieve from the pain he now felt, but he had never believed in running away from his penances. He deserved the sentence of living with his grief and he would serve it duly. His eyes traced the curving lines of his son's casket one last time as he stepped through the inner seal.

"Dance in the skies, Ayrdon," he whispered, and closed the hatch. He quickly palmed the outer seal and stood to watch as his son was pulled into the vacuum of space.

Leia touched a hand to the transparisteel overhead as the dark chest passed over her. "Good bye, Ayrdon. I love you," she whispered as the box was pulled toward the white planet below them. It picked up speed as gravity took hold and its course became more focused. Luke's arms tightened their hold on her as the edges flamed, the atmosphere heating its path. Suddenly, with the radiance of a tiny sun, it flared brilliantly and then was gone.

She buried her head in Luke's shoulder and sobbed quietly against his chest. She longed for Han's arms around her, for his support and his love. She feared she had lost him forever, lost him with their son. Their love having flared and extinguished as their baby had. Her sobs grew fiercer and Luke's arms tightened again.

Han entered the crew's quarters as Luke entered, carrying a sleeping Leia to the med-bunk. Silently, the friends re-attached the monitoring leads and tubing that she had detached earlier. Patting Han on the shoulder, Luke offered him his silent sympathies, before leaving to rejoin Chewie in the cockpit. Han sunk to his knees and buried his head against her belly as the tears he had fought so fiercely finally broke through his last defences.

"I'm sorry, Leia. It's not enough, I know. But I'm sorry."

_A/N: Please send me your thoughts. All that remains is an epilogue to wrap things up, bringing us to where they were at the beginning of Empire Strikes Back. I hope this latest chapter was worth reading. Please let me know if it was worth writing. Scarlet._


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: As promised: a quick little something to tie up a few loose ends. There's so much more that I could do here, but it seems almost too much… another story perhaps? I'm not sure… it's definitely too soon to tell. What I know for certain is that I need a bit of a break from my favourite pair. I had nearly posted this a few days earlier…excited to finally have it completed, but knew that this epilogue was less-than-stellar. As I had begun editing it for final posting, I changed my mind and gave myself the couple of extra days I needed to add in the few necessary scenes that had been missing originally. In the end, I hope this latest and final chapter is a fitting end to our heroes' "detour"._

_Many thanks to all of you who have stuck with me this far and especially those who dropped me a note along the way. Please continue to send me your thoughts - both good and bad. They are both valued._

_As usual, Han, Leia and their friends are not mine and as I am about to wrap things up and return them to George, feel free to send your money to him (not that he needs it) and your comments to me. Without any further adieu…_

**Unexpected Detours, epilogue**

The Falcon had made planet fall without further incident. Leia had been whisked quickly to the medical bay to tend to the remainder of her injuries. Han's harsh glares and tight lips had rebuked any questions that could have been asked. He had hovered outside her room as Two-onebee had worked quietly at her side, waiting until he had been certain that she was fine before returning to his quarters on the Falcon.

After ten days, she had been released to her quarters, assured that she had made a complete recovery. He had visited her daily in the med-center, but had learned to time his visits to those times that she had been asleep; he was still unsure of what he could - or should - say to her. Two days later he found himself standing in the hallway outside her door, trying to convince his hand to raise and activate the intercom.

_What am I going to say: 'Hey, Leia. Sorry I got you caught up in my life, screwed up your life, killed our son, nearly killed you and generally added to the list of tragedies that you've had to suffer through. Sorry that I managed to take the first little bit of happiness that you've had and turned it into yet another sorrow. _

_And I know you probably never want to see me or speak to me again, but I thought I'd take the time to remind you of it all one last time before I took myself out of your life for good.'_

He grimaced as the sarcastic thoughts ran through his mind. She deserved better than sarcasm… she deserved better than him. But he had to tell her that he was sorry - that it wasn't enough, would never be enough - but he was sorry to the very depths of his soul. He owed her that much. He owed her more, but that much in the very least.

He knew that he should stay - give his life to her cause. That maybe that would help to repay the debt that he owed her. But he couldn't stay. He couldn't stay knowing that his staying might jeopardize her and the rebellion. And, he couldn't stay knowing that he couldn't be with her. He knew that he couldn't bear to be in the same room with her knowing that she no longer wanted to be with him. He was leaving and he knew that he should at least give her his goodbye.

He stood in front of the plain, white door, arguing with himself, trying to force himself to face her. But each time he tried, all he could envision was the broken woman he had carried from the warehouse… the woman who had risked everything to save him. How could he face her? How could he face her and read the disappointment in her eyes when she realized that she had wagered so much and all she had won was him? How could he stay when his presence would remind her of all she had lost? When his presence would continue to jeopardize her and everything that was important to her?

_The rebellion is all that's left that matters to you and I won't let my past take anything more away from you. And I won't let it hurt you again, either._

His pledge vibrated in his mind as his hand hovered before the door, hesitant to even touch it. He stood frozen that way for several long moments until finally he left, searching out Luke to say his final farewell's.

Leia lay wrapped in the warmth of her sheets, chilled to her core regardless of how many blankets she had piled on. She knew she was hiding - from a great many things in general and Han in particular - but even though she had never been one to hide before, she couldn't seem to make herself rise from the safe haven of her bed.

Their single conversation since they had returned to Hoth was almost too painful to recall. He had arrived at her bedside early one night - or maybe it had been the same time as the previous nights - only this night she had still been awake when he had arrived. The other nights she had managed to avoid him by pretending to remain asleep despite having awakened to his presence. The soothing warmth of his hand as it held hers had made her yearn for the soothing warmth of his embrace, but she had refused to give in to her need. How could she ask for or accept his comfort when she had been the cause of so much heartache in both their lives? How could she let him warm her with his embrace when the cold that had entered both of their lives had been her fault and her alone? How could she accept his forgiveness - she was afraid that he would give it if she asked - when she couldn't forgive herself?

Those questions had run through her head that night as he had entered her room and they remained unanswered, as they had each time she had awakened previously to him at her bedside. The look on his face as he had entered had told her that he had expected to find her sleeping and that he hadn't been happy to have arrived before she had fallen asleep.

_'He's only here out of obligation,'_ she remembered thinking. _'He's here because he knows that he's expected to be here… because he doesn't want me to feel the full force of his anger… because he's waiting for me to be healed before he tells me how he really feels about me and what I did to him…to his son…to his life.'_

She had known that his rejection and his hatred would have been too much for her to handle. She hadn't wanted to hear those harsh words from his lips. She had also feared that he would never speak them; that he would keep them buried inside, festering, all the while continuing with the charade of their relationship. In that moment, she had known that that would be harder to bear than his hatred.

"Han," she had grasped his hand with her good hand as he, slightly startled by the sound of his name, had taken a seat on the edge of her bed.

"Listen," she had continued quickly, knowing that if she had waited to speak, she would have lost the courage to give voice to her words. "We both know that… before the baby there wasn't much here… for us."

She had hated the hesitation in her voice when she had spoken, but had taken a deep breath to steady herself before having resumed her speech.

"Now, without Ayrdon," tears had pricked her eyes as she had spoken his name, but she had somehow dredged up the willpower to prevent their fall. "Without Ayrdon, we don't have any reason to pretend. We were apart before we knew about him and now, without him, there is no reason for us to be together any longer."

Han's expression had remained neutral throughout her monologue and she had found his lack of response more difficult to interpret than any other reaction she might have imagined.

"I guess what I'm saying is that maybe they're right when they say that these things happen for a reason. The reason was to prevent us from making a big mistake. Now we can just move forward with our lives."

Even now, as she replayed the conversation in her mind, she was surprised at the confidence that had been conveyed in her tone, surprised by the logical argument that she had offered, as though she had believed it. The words sounded so hollow to her now. Even then, as she had spoken them, her mind had screamed: _'Things don't happen for a reason and even if they do, the reason could never have been to take you away from me.'_

But she had spoken the words, setting him free. He had spoken nothing that night. Well, that wasn't entirely true - he might have said "right" as he had left her room. But that had been their last conversation… their last conversation and she had done all the talking. She searched her mind and realized that she couldn't recall the last words he had spoken to her… besides that 'right'. Those last words were lost somewhere in the haze of her ordeal on the Falcon and she wasn't sure that she would ever remember them.

She was sure, however, that after that night, her world had changed and the world had changed for him. He would leave the rebellion now, or sometime in the near future. She had always known that he had stayed for her and Luke and not the cause that they were fighting for. She didn't know if Luke alone was enough to keep him now and if he wasn't then their last words would be lost to her forever.

She couldn't face him again. Not now when he wouldn't bother to shield her from the pain and devastation that she had caused him. She couldn't bear to see that pain on his face again; the pain she had seen when he had carried their son to his quarters. And so, she continued to hide in her quarters from him.

She was confident that she was doing the right thing by letting him go; his life had been so much better before he had met her. Of that, she was certain. Her own life? She was certain that it would have been sorely empty had he never graced it and would be again when he decided to leave.

_I am going to miss you so much, Han. I wish you could know that and how much you have meant to me._

As the sentiments passed through her mind, she realized that she may never get another chance to tell him how she felt. She didn't expect him to forgive her or to express any feelings in return - any feelings other than anger - but she felt the need to tell him that she loved him just the same.

She rose from her bed and dressed quickly, preparing to search him out, refusing to ponder the hasty decision she had just made. She would stand before him and let him rage at her if he needed, but she would have no regrets this time. She wouldn't let another loved one leave her life without them knowing that she cared. If Alderaan had taught her anything, it was that the pain of loss was greater when it was combined with the pain of regret. This time she would not have the regret of unspoken words. Maybe Han wasn't leaving her life permanently - although everything inside her told her that he was - but she wasn't prepared to take any chances. She would let him tell her his anger and she would tell him her love.

She left her quarters for the first time in many hours and, ignoring the surreptitious glances of the members of the rebellion, searched the base for Han. Nearly prepared to give up, defeated, believing that he was, in fact, avoiding her at all costs, she was informed by a deck officer that he had left the base with Luke on a mission to set sensors along the perimeter. She headed to the command center to busy herself while she waited for their return, hoping that somehow, her waning determination would return with them.

_A/N: In case it wasn't clear in that last paragraph…we are now at the beginning of Empire Strikes Back. Thank you so much for taking the journey with me and thank you to the countless readers that took the time to pass on their thoughts along the way. Your reviews meant as much to me as the journey did and made all the effort worthwhile. And with that… I now turn you back over to George. May the force be with you:) Scarlet._


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